Stargate: Do Over
by chain.reader
Summary: On March 1st, 1991 the world is visited by hundreds of Puddle Jumpers. Jack, Sam and Daniel mess with time. How will things change now that they know what they know?
1. Chapter 01, Politics

**Notice:** I do not own Stargate... yadda yadda yadda

**Contact info:**Find me on FanFiction

**Stargate: Do Over**

**Chapter 01, Politics.**

**March 1st, 1991**

**06:00 local time**

**Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia**

Lieutenant Samantha Carter gave an unladylike stretch and yawn, she wasn't the only one.

"Wakey, Wakey!" Came the gruff loud voice from outside the wing's tent, "Flight three! shit, shower, shave and head out. You're wheels up in three hours. Flight four! You get the luxury of using your blues today, play dress-up for some brass." He snickered. "East Theater, 0900."

"Willis, Carter. Come out, come out where ever you are!" He called in sing-song.

"Sir?"

"Major?" Came the two questioning pilots.

"Congratulations kids you made captain." He said, "There will be a ceremony later at the east theater."

They both stared.

"Well what did you expect? A parade?" He snickered, "Be sharp, east theater 0900, now git!" He turned and moved away briskly towards the next wing's tent.

They still stood there staring, when Carter remembered to speak, "Yes Sir!" The Major was already gone.

"Carter?"

"Huh?"

"Captain Carter?"

"Huh?" She yawned, "Oh, I guess." She said brain still not awake.

"Coffee. Headache! Damn party." Willis said.

"Coffee." Was her blinking response. She groaned, "Brass!"

**SGSGSGSGSGSGSG**

Two and a half hours later the now awake, fed and caffeinated fourth flight, donning their dress uniforms, headed to the large multipurpose tent dubbed 'East Theater'. Today, like so often before, was another day of constant struggle of keeping the dust and sand off them. Made worse when it was their dress uniforms they had to keep clean and sharp. They were near their destination when two puddle jumpers decloacked ahead of them. Followed by a third, longer but similarly styled vessel.

Gasps and other more articulate expressions of surprise were heard from the group.

It took a moment for their brains to process what was happening. By then, the puddle jumpers were hovering inches off the ground and their back hatches were open. From the one closest to the group, out stepped... Carter?

**SGSGSGSGSGSGSG**

Brigadier General George S. Hammond was still uncomfortable with the dog-and-pony show that came with being a general. He would much rather be at HQ keeping an eye on the 'retreating' Iraqi 10th infantry division, which was moving north-east instead of west. He thought the timing for this little ceremony was inappropriate, it should have been kept for later. All the politicians and the other flag officers here were playing the 'politics' game, he mentally groaned thinking he needed to learn to play that game too, and soon, if he wanted to survive as a flag officer himself. His musings were interrupted by a commotion from outside the theater.

They all heard the orders to stop, the distinct clicking sound of weapons being primed, followed by whistling sounds... A quick glance to his left and right, he saw others had the same idea as him, _sidearms_. This was an active zone, so of course everyone, including the generals, was carrying. With one in the chamber, they moved.

By the time he was able to peek out, a pair of soldiers were on the ground, another pair was just standing there confused and everyone else was staring, swearing, gasping and generally confused. Instinct took over and he aimed at the obvious intruders, a group of people dressed in some kind of uniform he'd never seen before. Next thing he knew, there was a blur of bright blue sparkly light and his gun was no longer there!

"Howdy campers!" One of the intruders said.

"Who are you?", "How did you do that?", "What the hell?" and other questions were sounded, along with several commands like "Freeze!", "Hands in the air!" all at the same time.

There was another round of sparkly lights around the room and any weapons disappeared, leaving behind confused people. Some of them recovered quickly though and plowed straight towards the seemingly unarmed intruders. They were quickly shot down with some kind of pulses shooting out of the intruder's fingers.

"Quiet down! Quiet down everyone! We mean you no harm!" another of them said loudly. Hammond had to look twice, the two were identical!

Another pair approached, again looking identical, carrying a stretcher of sorts. There was a man on the stretcher that looked haggard, but the weird thing that registered to Hammond was that he too looked the same as the other four. "Quiet!" He commanded at the still noisy assembly. "No harm? What about all the men you just shot? And who the hell is he?" Hammond asked pointing at the stretcher.

One of the identical men took a couple of steps forward. His posture looked calm but his eyes were alert. "General, General, Colonel, General..." He nodded to each one of the officers present, his posture stiffened and gaze darkened for a split second when he looked at one of the Senators.

"General, we came by here to drop this one off." He said pointing at the stretcher. "His name is Jack O'Neill, **two** Ls not one." He said turning back to Hammond, "He's one of General West's boys; got shot and captured in a mission about a week ago. Please do tell Cromwell he's an idiot. As for the... sleepyheads, they'll wake up with a bit of a headache in a few minutes."

"You all look alike. How do I know he's not just another one of you? Whoever the hell you are."

"Oh, he's the original, I'm just a copy. One of many." he smirked.

The stretcher had been laid down by this time. One of the _copies_ turned to an airman and said "You might wanna get him to the infirmary, but frankly all he really needs is some rest, he's just going to be stiff and groggy. We patched him up good."

One of the politicians shoved his way forward and yelled, "What is the meaning of this!?" The four oddly dressed men focused on him and their posture was instantly hostile.

"Allow me." one of them said.

"Wait!" the one closest to Hammond said, "George just to clarify. The one down there is the original, we're copies. OK?" He pointed down, "Original," Then he pointed to his chest, "Copy. Got it?"

"Uhh."

"OK, go ahead." He said back to the other _copy_, dismissively.

"This is for betraying the planet; **the ********second** **time**!" The other Jack O'Neill copy said and threw an uppercut at the politician, who flew back into the air and into the crowd. He was out before he landed. The politician happened to be Senator Robert Kinsey.

"So, nice digs." The more talkative copy said looking around the tent. He was standing relaxed with his hands in his pockets.

"That is a U.S. Senator!"

"Yeah, I know!" He answered back with a raised eyebrow. "So, anyways. Before we go. Sorry we couldn't get you a full memory copy, but circumstances... Well these few bits and pieces will have to do."

"Can we get on with this? The base is going a bit nuts." Another one said.

"Yeah, General we'll see you again soon enough. In the mean time; Like I was saying... Ahm, this will only give you a mild headache." The talkative one continued. He stuck his hand into General Hammond's head and removed it mere moments later. Hammond gave a loud gasp.

"Jack? What the hell?" He groaned.

"Later, Sir."

"Let's go then. George, you should take a nap, let your brain sift through those... memories."

One of the retreating O'Neills turned around and said, "Oh, hey, you really should push ahead to get Saddam. You're already here, so, you know... Uh, Right." And he moved away. "Try to handle the fallout from this little reunion, OK?" He yelled over his shoulder while walking away.

**SGSGSGSGSGSGSG**

**(Just over an Hour later)**

**March 1st, 01:00 local time**

**White House, Washington DC**

In the white house situation room the air was stale, arid and full of cigarette smoke. The room has been in near continuous usage the past few months, monitoring the Gulf War. That focus changed a few minutes ago when it became apparent that the so called UFO sightings were not some elaborate hoax.

There were hundreds of reported sightings of these weird cylindrical flying vessels throughout the globe. Many were caught on video and that footage was now running on pretty much all TV stations. The TV was now showing one being followed by a helicopter, it was flying in Singapore, performing impossible maneuvers, weaving up, down, making tight corners around skyscrapers, even stopping in midair at times as if waiting for the TV helicopter to catch up!

Similar behavior was also being observed in other metropolitan cities all over the globe. Whatever these were, they wanted to be seen. And seen they were.

Fighter jets the world over have been scrambling to intercept them in several locations, but in all cases where a fighter approached they either out-maneuvered their chasers or disappeared in thin air! What was worse, in all those cases nothing registered in radar.

"What do we have?" asked the President walking in the room.

After a round of "Sir" and "Mr. President" around the table, one of them stood up.

"Mr. President, there are a dozen confirmed sightings in the U.S., more if we consider reports to the news media. And even more are being reported by international TV stations throughout the globe. London, Paris, Berlin, Beijing, Moscow, Hong Kong..."

"Who or what are they?" He interrupted.

"We don't know, sir. Uh, this is the best... picture of them we have got so far..." He said turning to a screen.

"It is disconcerting that the best information so far comes from the TV." Said another.

"They look human, sir." He continued after a pregnant pause, "The.. Uh, vessels?" He asked unsure how to call them, "Appear to be slanted cylindrical shaped. The small ones are roughly sixteen feet in diameter and thirty feet in length..."

"Wait, small ones? There are others?" Someone asked, it was news to several others as well.

"Yes, a larger version has been _reported_ in a few locations, still unconfirmed." Someone else answered.

"Two pilots are sitting in the cockpit..." The presenter continued pointing at a screen. "They come in many colors, black, red, white, silver..."

"Enough." The president interrupted again, he wasn't hearing anything not already shown on the TV news! "What happened in Al Kharj?" He had noticed one of the video-conference screens, had turned on. The face on it was familiar as was the background, the same up-link had been used many times during this war, on the same screen. "I got one message saying the base was attacked by these things and the whole base is up in arms. I got another message saying they only went there to chat... and to give us one of our own soldiers back, who was MIA or KIA. What's your take on this Norman?" he asked facing the screen.

"_They caught us with our pants down sir. We're still not clear on exactly what happened, they did not register at all on any radar screen. The base is on high alert right now, and all possible assets are in the air. Several pilots tried to give chase but these things... Sir, the pilots that chased them had to rely on their own eyesight, no radar returns at all. They also report they ____disappeared_ _into thin air!_"

"Yes, we've got the same from elsewhere. What about the attack, how bad?"

"_The attack._" He said, "_It. Uh. Whatever they did, it was a surgical mission. There are no reported dead, but several men are unconscious._" He said and paused. "_It was, quick. We have some footage ready... There were many reporters in the scene._" He nodded outside the screen, The screen changed to show footage from inside a theater tent from the base.

The footage played showing the incident inside the tent, "Can't we fix the audio?" Someone asked after a minute.

No one said anything intelligible when the screen showed weapons disappearing in sparkles of light. They sat and watched open-mouthed as the intruders shot down anyone attempting to head them off.

They watched as one of the intruders punched Senator Kinsey and sent him flying, then some words were exchanged with one of the Generals and then one of the intruders stuck his hand _**in**_ the General's head! Only to pull it out again, but there was no apparent injury to the man.

After the intruders left there was a jumble of movement towards the downed people... the feed cut off back to the control room again.

"Let's play that again, only try to fix the volume this time." Asked the president. "Norman, you said there were no dead? What about the people that got shot?"

"_Most have already recovered Mr. President. They were only knocked unconscious. Whatever they used doesn't appear to have been lethal. The only one seriously injured is Senator Kinsey. He's got a broken jaw, several broken teeth and a concussion._" Norman's voice was heard from the link.

The video had started playing again, the volume was much higher and the audio was still barely intelligible but a technician was on a console, modifying the audio so it was getting a bit better.

Though muffled, they clearly heard it this time, "_This is for betraying the planet; __**the **_**__****second** _**time**__!_" Right before the punch.

The video kept on until the end, when someone asked, "That was George Hammond, wasn't it?"

A couple of affirmative nods came from around the table, "A hand... in the head, but he still lives? Can we speak to him?" The president asked.

"_Sir, I have relieved him of duty. He's under guard right now. He has been talking crazy since the attack._" Answered the general over the video up-link.

"Crazy how?"

"_He says he ____**remembers**_ _things about a... _**__****Stargate**_?, which he says is a device that makes wormholes to other planets; a device which we supposedly have under Cheyenne mountain. He mentioned some names... oh, and he keeps asking us if it's really 1991?_" He said quizzically, "_He's disoriented and agitated to say the least, sir._"

"Cheyenne mountain." Whispered the president while rubbing his eyes. "Put him on."

"_Yes sir, it will take a minute._"

The president signaled one of the aides to approach, "Paul, give Cheyenne a call, ask to be patched through to, Uh... project Giza. Ask if there has been any activity by the device." he whispered. "If the answer is anything other than _no_, patch it through here."

Soon enough, the General in question showed up in the conference screen.

"General Hammond, what's your take on this attack?"

"_Attack, sir? I wouldn't call it an attack._"

"What would you call it? They attacked you, shot several men and physically attacked a U.S. Senator!" Said one of the attending politicians, Senator Fischer.

"_If they had attacked us we wouldn't be having this conversation right now, their level of technology is centuries ahead of ours._"

"Let's back up for a second," interrupted the president, "I want to know what you know, and how you know it."

"_One of them stuck his hand in my head and downloaded some... memories._" Hammond stated.

"We watched the video, I still can not understand how _that_ could happen and yet you still live."

"_Well sir, they are replicators. Machines, made up out of nanites._"

"Nanites?" someone asked.

"_Tiny machines, millions of them._"

"What kind of memories do you think they took from you?" asked another.

"_That's not what I meant. They... put some stuff in. I'm still trying to sort through it all. Most of it is about the Stargate Program, after-action reports and such. Apparently they couldn't get me a full memory download but he did not elaborate about that._" Hammond said.

"Stargate program?" The president asked.

"_Ahm, well it's 1991, so it's probably still called Project Giza at the moment. It's an ancient device, a big metal ring, that allows near instantaneous travel between planets throughout the galaxy. It will be another few years before we figure out how it works, although with them here that might change._"

"That's crazy talk." Said the senator.

"_Is it?_" he shrugged, "_You get used to it. You'll have to ask one of the scientists with the program for details about the Stargate._" He answered seriously. "_That's not even the crazy part. I think the... visitors are friendly. At least I assume they are because I remember a lot about them and 'cause if they were hostile, we'd be dead by now._" He paused, "_Anyway, I think it's another of SG-1's crazy plans to save the day._"

"SG-1?"

"_Stargate team one, our flagship team._" He rubbed his balding head, "_General Jack O'Neill, or, I think he's a Colonel at the moment; Though I'm not sure; some of the memories I've been given show him as Lieutenant General... Was the first leader of the team. His 2IC was Samantha Carter and I know she just became a captain, or she was supposed to at the ceremony today. My... ____their_ _memories have her at Brigadier General..._" He blinked and shook his head.

"_It's a bit confusing having those memories in my head, I get some conflicting recall. There's also Doctor Daniel Jackson, he's an archeologist and a linguist. He's the one that originally figured out how to dial the Stargate." another pause, "And then there's Teal'c. He's... an alien._"

"I can't believe we're hearing this nonsense!" Interrupted Senator Fischer.

"Settle down Senator." Called the president.

There was some shuffling on the other side

"_Excuse me sirs, if I may?_" Someone from the video-conference screen said, "_You mentioned Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter. Well, they're both in the infirmary right now._"

"_What's their condition?_" Hammond asked her.

"_Stable. I think._" She said, picked out two folders from a pile she was holding and handed them over.

"A_h, here we go, 'patient unresponsive', 'vitals stable', 'continuous REM'._" He flipped open the other folder, "_Same for Carter. The doctor has noted 'witnesses claim an intruder inserted a hand into the patient's head, but there is no discernible injury', well that makes sense._" He spoke more to himself, "_One of these days, Jack, your plans are gonna give me a heart attack..._"

"REM? What's that?" asked someone.

"Rapid Eye Movement." said someone else under his breath.

General Hammond had stiffened and was looking on the side, lost in his own thoughts.

"General?"

He blinked a couple of times, "_Heart attack. That's why they couldn't get me a full memory download, I was dead._" he mumbled.

"General?"

He took a deep breath and shrugged the thought aside, "_REM stands for rapid eye movement. They're dreaming._" His eyes unfocused and he looked to the side again, "_And I think that's what I should be doing right now, Jack said I should ____**take a nap**__._"

"General, before you go, what's your threat assessment of these... vessels that are flying all over the world?" The president asked.

"_The puddle jumpers, are..._"

"Puddle jumpers?" The president interrupted.

"_Yes sir, that's what we called them, or will call them, or have... Uh..._" He shrugged, "_Moving on, the puddle jumpers are small sized shuttles, they're basically flying personnel carriers sir. As for weapons, they only have about a dozen drones or so..._" He raised his palms to stop them from interrupting him, "_On their own, they're short range only, meaning they don't have a hyperdrive. So, they didn't get here on their own power. Their bigger vessels are probably up there right now in orbit, Sir. Unless they all came through the Stargate in Cheyenne Mountain?_"

There were several around the room with expressions bewilderment, many had _'Oh shit'_ clearly written on their faces, others had utter confusion.

"So this is an invasion then." stated one General.

"_Perhaps, but I doubt it._" answered Hammond, "_Like I said, if they were hostile... Well, they would have already landed en masse and began consuming every piece of technology and every mineral in sight._" He said.

An aide approached the president and handed him a note, then passed on several copies to the attending general. After the moment of silence it took for them to look over the notes, the assembly broke in several remarks.

"Damn.", "Oh, hell.", "When it rains, it pours."

"Let's get the Soviets on the line, shall we?" Said the president.

"**__****Soviets**_**?**_" Asked Hammond, "_Oh, Right, 1991! ____**March**_ _1991... Interesting._"

"What is?"

"_Well, The Soviet Union is supposed to formally dissolve, in December._"

Silence followed. A dropped pin would be heard in the White house situation room and the CiC at Al Kharj Base.

Alien invasion was one thing, but the fall of **_Soviet Union_**_?_ Two years ago this would have been considered impossible! Even _with_ recent events in the last two years, they were not so hopeful as to believe such a thing was in the realm of possibility.

"_Or, well, it was supposed to. Now with this, who knows. So, what did they do?_"

"This man is telling us exactly what we would like to hear! Feeding us disinformation. Why are we still listening to him? He is obviously compromised." The Senator erupted again. "These... machines did something to him, they've turned him into something, something else!" he spat, unsure of the right words to use.

"Maybe. Maybe not, we'll see." The president said, "The message pertained to several of the Soviet missile silo doors opening. So, DEFCON 3?"

"_Well that's bad. They think those jumpers are ours._" Hammond blinked, "_Well they may __**be**_ _ours, but..._"

"Come again?"

"_The replicator did look and behave like Jack O'Neill, sir. So in essence he... they are ours. Just not of our own making._"

"I believe your input in this matter is **not** helpful at this time." said one of the generals sternly towards the video screen. "Sir, we should move to DEFCON 2 and proceed to the bunker." he said turning back to the president.

"Go to DEFCON 3 and let's monitor the situation, we'll decide in a minute, where's that damn phone call?" The president yelled irritated at his technicians.

"It's coming through now sir, ten seconds."

The phone call did come through and a Russian answered. The interpreter translated, though there was not much to translate.

"_General Nabidaidze._"

...

"General this is George Bush, calling for Mikhail Gorbachev."

...

"_Mister Gorbachev is not going to be available, you will speak to me. __**I**__ am in charge here._"

...

The president hit the mute button and asked with a raised eyebrow, "What the hell is **that** supposed to mean?" He looked at one of the staff at one of the consoles further away, "Are you sure you got that right?" To which the interpreter nodded grimly.

"Damn!" He said and pressed the mute button again.

"Well General, I'm calling to ask about any information you may have had about..." A little quick thinking there, "these weird vessels that have shown up all over the place." He wasn't the president by accident, he knew he _could_ ask the real question directly but a different approach might bring better results.

...

"_Why are you asking me? They are __**your**__ planes._"

...

"No they are not." He squinted his eyes at the video conference monitor still showing General Hammond. "The United States does not currently have the technology to build these vessels." That was true, and even if, as Hammond suggests, those may be _friendly_ forces or even 'ours' as he put it.

...

"_That is a lie. You command these planes, I have seen photos of them attacking an Iraqi military facility._"

...

"Maybe you're confusing the location with a base in Al Kharj, that's where they attacked **us**." He doubted he was confused, but he got the point across. 'We were attacked too.' He snapped his fingers to get the attention of the NSA liaison present, and pointed at the phone and then asked him silently to figure out what attack he meant.

...

"_More lies, your forces will not be allowed to invade my country without a response, next time one of them comes near it will be shot down._"

...

"Our wounded would agree with that sentiment. Like I said, they attacked **us** in Al Kharj, they sent several American soldiers to the infirmary. We do not control these vessels!" He paused, time to cut to the chase. "Where is Mikhail? I want to talk to **him**, and ask him... why so many of your nuclear missile silos have opened their doors." At the very least he'd know if there had been a coup. He picked up his pen and wrote 'Prepare bunker' on a piece of paper; and passed it on to a General, who promptly stood and left.

...

"_He is no more. Things have changed, I am in charge._"

...

Something on the television caught the eye of the president momentarily and he paused. "General, you have satellite TV there?"

...

"_Yes._"

...

"Then turn it on IWN; and explain to me why, those same vessels you say are ours; Why is it they attacked some place right here in the United States?" He turned to an aide, "Put the volume up on that and put it on all screens."

...

There was a two minute pause on the room and the phone line, as they watched a reporter talk about an 'alien attack' in Washington State on a private ranch. The text ribbon under the reporter in capital letters read 'ALIENS ATTACK!'.

"_More lies and propaganda. We will not bow to western imperialism! Recall your planes or we will act._" And he hung up.

"Damn."

Everyone remained quiet for a moment absorbing what they just heard.

Then they all started talking at the same time.

"Quiet!" He waited to be heard, "Go to DEFCON 2. We're moving this meeting to the bunker downstairs." He stood up, "Have General Hammond relieved of duty. Then send him stateside, under guard... Same for the other three he mentioned. O'Neill... Carter and Jackson. Get them, bring them here somewhere. And find out what the hell happened in that ranch!" He ordered. "Let's go!" and he walked off.

The president was already out of the room when there was a flash of light in the room.

"Hello-ooo, is this thing on?" Said someone loudly enough to cut through the jabber. "Hi! Just wanted to come in and say that, I wouldn't worry too much..." He paused and looked around, "Will someone call him back?" He pointed at the door, "Anyone?... Anyone?"

_-+o+-_

_A/N: I am assuming the events of the Stargate movie took place in 1996, one year before the Series._

_I'm not entirely certain I got the ranks 'downgraded' properly to account for the ranks people would have in 1991._

_For those that don't remember their history: The USSR officially dissolved on December 1991. Though, I bet many people assumed it was gonna happen already on March 1st... Or even a year or two before that. Since some states had already split... Let's pretend these guys did not 'know' that as a certainty._

_Also for those historically challenged: The president is George Bush Senior, this is 1991._

_The Gulf War, in theory, officially ended on February 28__th__. But that does not mean all activity immediately ceased. The U.S. military presence 'started' leaving on March 10__th__. This story starts on March 1__st__._

_I'm not sure any such dog-and-pony show/ceremony would normally take place during a still active conflict even at a 'safe' location such as that base. Logic says it wouldn't, but when politics are involved... meh!_

_There actually is a (retired) General named Nabidaidze. There's absolutely NO relation, the name was picked completely at random... Right... So... if you're reading this please don't send commandos to break down my door, kthnxbye!_

_Many Thanks to my beta readers._

_Please review to feed my muse._


	2. Chapter 02, Galactic Politics

**Notice:** I do not own Stargate... yadda yadda yadda

**Contact info: **Find me on FanFiction

**Stargate: Do Over  
**

Previously:

"Hello-ooo, is this thing on?" Said someone loudly enough to cut through the jabber. "Hi! Just wanted to come in and say that, I wouldn't worry too much..." He paused and looked around, "Will someone call him back?" He pointed at the door, "Anyone?... Anyone?"

**Chapter 02, Galactic Politics.  
**

The staff finally snapped out of it. Pandemonium followed. Two guards rushed the intruder, but... they went right through him!

The holographic Jack O'Neill rolled his eyes. "It's a hologram! Gosh, you guys have never seen a hologram before?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"So... The president?"

"Who are you?" Someone asked.

"The name is Bond, James Bond. Now could you get the president back here or... Oh, they're rushing him off to the bunker aren't they?" Another pause, no one was forthcoming with any answer, other than the secret service communicating with each other about the 'intruder'.

"I see, if you want something done... Right." He gestured and walked off out of the room.

He strolled out, casually. Secret service agents tried to tackle him several times. Someone even fired a few shots at him. At some point a second hologram appeared right next to him. "Having fun?"

"Yeah."

"Quit harassing the poor secret service people James. You're giving them a heart attack."

"Just having some fun here Socrates." He answered to the Daniel Jackson hologram.

"It's not the appropriate time for fun. Some of the Russian silos are preparing for launch you know. Are you _sure_ you want to be the one to do this one?"

"Yeah."

"Well why are you 'walking' then?"

"Fine!" He said and winked out. The other hologram winked out also.

**SGSGSGSGSG  
**

He reappeared a second later in the underground bunker under the white house. Right in front of the president and what few staff and aides had managed to get there before the pandemonium.

"Hi!" He said to one of the aides, "Take me to your leader." He grinned. "Oh never mind he's right here."

And again another few agents tried to rush him.

He sighed and face-palmed himself. "Don't you learn? I'm a hologram! See? Not. Solid."

After a while, and after a staring contest with one of the secret service agents that hadn't rushed him. The president spoke. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am but I have no idea who _you_ are."

"The name is Bond, James Bond, sir."

"Quite the comedian." He was definitely _not_ amused.

"Indeed, but actually that **is** my name. That's what happens when there's several thousand copies of you. You get to pick cool names!"

The president's only response was raised eyebrows.

"I came to tell you... I wouldn't worry too much about that Nabidabadi guy."

"It's hard not to, considering he **claims** to be in command of the Soviet Union and he has nuclear missiles primed and ready to go!"

"It'll sort itself out. Gorbachev will kick his ass in a few minutes." He appeared very relaxed and even picked up a box and started eating _pop-corn_, of all things, while casually waving the president's concern down.

"And if it doesn't?"

His only response was a shrug.

"Where has Mister Gorbachev been?"

"Oh I got bad news for you!" He paused for dramatic effect, "He got you beat! **He********'****s** the first world leader to make it into **orbit**!" He smirked. "See, there was a coup and he got killed, along with most of his staff..."

"Killed!? Bloody hell!" Yelled the president.

"Eh, we patched him up. He's already briefed and ready to go back down there, he's just waiting for some of his troops to mobilize."

"But you just said he got killed!" The president said angrily, he didn't like the double talk, "Is your definition of _dead_ different than ours? Who **are** you anyway?"

"The details are boring. All that matters is, he was dead. Now he's not. And the name is Asuran, not replicator like Hammond said. Those replicators really lack a sense of humor."

"How can he be dead and then not?" Asked the president, agitated.

James pursed his lips. "The human body is easy to fix. Listen, can we move on to your briefing? The reason why I am here in the first place?"

"Briefing on what?"

He kept a straight face on, "The reason why _we_ are here in the first place."

"Which is?" He asked agitated.

"To save your collective butts, Sir."

"Quite the diplomat." The president smirked. He was annoyed, 'This guy must be a career diplomat, answers every question and yet answers nothing!' he thought. 'And he's not below throwing a non-insulting insult. This may get tricky.'

"I try."

"Let me guess, we nuke ourselves to oblivion and, sometime in the future we send you back here to stop _that_ from happening. I think I've seen that movie."

James frowned at the president, "What? Ahm. Yeah, Hollywood does it again." He shook his head, "But, no. The good thing is that no one is stupid enough to push the big red button; Except that Nabadibadi guy, but... Anyways, it's much more complicated than that."

The president kept quiet, he was trying to think ahead but came up blank.

"As you've probably already surmised, you're not alone in the universe."

'OK, that's reasonable, but horrifying too.' The president thought, 'It could turn out like Colombo and the Indians all over again, only we'd be the Indians.' But he had to press for more information. "So what are you saying? Are little green men from Mars going to come and take over the planet? And then we send you back to fix it?" He hadn't denied that point and the president was curious about these visitors; and whether what Hammond had hinted at was true.

"Oh they're gray; and they're not from Mars; and they're actually friendly. No, those guys are cool, you don't have to worry about them. But... there are others." He answered.

"Others?"

"The Goa'uld, the Aschen, the Wraith, the replicators, the Ori..." He shivered, "Those are all baddies. Big bad baddies. There are many more. The ones to worry about right now are the Goa'uld, the rest can wait in line."

The president had to bring on his A-game, getting information out of him was like pulling teeth! He was annoyed, but he kept his resolve. "So, what are you saying? That these Gooauld come here and take over the planet?" He repeated the main question, and added, "And then **we** sent you back here to fix it?" He still hadn't denied that last part, and if it was true... it would mean...

"Nope. We beat those guys. Although at the moment they are still your major concern."

"Then who?" The president was hoping to get an answer into the question he really wanted answered.

"The replicators." He shrugged, "We _thought_ we had them beat, But... Well, some escaped; and they replicated; Then they replicated some more... That's what they do, you see, they're like a virus, they make more and more of themselves."

"General Hammond said something about **you** **being** replicators."

"Not quite. Close, but no cigar. It's complicated. We call ourselves Asurans"

"So, then these replicators got here, took over the planet... and then **we** sent you back to warn us." It wasn't stated as a question, he had repeatedly said the same and had not been corrected, nor gotten an answer on it. He really would like this point to be as he guessed it to be, it would make things easier.

"Again, not quite. I died, you died, everyone died. We lost the galaxy, all galaxies nearby actually."

'How could they be sent back in time if they had died? There must be something else. What is it he's not saying?' The president pondered.

"That's not important right now. Let's cut to the chase, I came here to give you some **challenges**." He said, "You are going to have to earn your place in the galactic chessboard and we're going to help you with that but you're going to have to help yourselves first. I am going to give you four challenges, whether or not you choose to have at 'em is your choice.

"The biggest challenge of all is to not blow the planet up... You break it you buy it! And we're not fixing it for you." This was not quite true, it had already been decided they would intervene if they had to, to keep them from blowing themselves up. "Actually that's not a challenge; although it is some very good advice. And I have to tell you we _will_ intervene if you're about to blow yourselves up." He paused and threw away the box of pop-corn, "So, anyways, ready? Here's the pitch.

"Challenge number 1, is a multi-part challenge but with a singular logic. It's also the basis of all the other challenges. Make a treaty or treaties, or otherwise formal agreements or whatever you want, with nations that represent at least two thirds of the global population to accomplish the following... Define a body that will administer any and all defensive and offensive military actions of Earth in respect to extraterrestrial threats. Define a body that has full authority to represent Earth in a galactic and intergalactic arena, for diplomatic and any other purposes. Define a body that can and will administer the full disclosure of all knowledge and all technologies to all nations; That's past, present _and_ future knowledge and technologies. I'll let you look at the details on all that at your leisure. The grander picture is that once you manage all three of these, they will open the door for you for the rest and even win you a small prize of knowledge. Knowledge and technologies on medicine, agriculture, metallurgy, energy generation and many other things. No free big honking space guns at this challenge though. We think these goals might take a while to achieve. So we're giving you a very long time limit. Five years. If you haven't managed that within five years you lose the prize.

"Challenge number 2, figure out how to use the Stargate, travel to ten planets and help at least _one_ civilization in a significant fashion, yeah vague I know. You have to figure out the Stargate _**without**_ outside help. I already know you know about Carter, Jackson and O'Neill. Either of those three could help you figure out how the Stargate works in thirty seconds flat, now that their memories have been transferred to them. So, _they_ count as outside help. Do it without them. If you succeed, we'll give you a better gate, with all the bells and whistles. Its own power source, dialing computer, a much better one than anyone else has, even a few defenses against uninvited guests. We'll also give you a better understanding of how the gates work. But if you try to cheat and get helped by SG-1, you only get to keep _your_ gate." And he added, "This challenge has a one year time limit to it. After that, no bonus. The short time limit is because, frankly, this one's quite easy. There's some more details about this one you'll have to read about later. Also, the bonus will be delayed if you haven't yet achieved the first challenge until _after_ you do.

"Challenge number 3 and this is my favorite; Use the gate to go to Abydos, make friends with the natives, yadda yadda yadda... And then wait for Ra to show up. You get to choose which way you want to go from there. For instance, you could kill Ra by nuking his ship from the inside, that's the easy way; that's what we did the first time around by the way. Or... You could take over his ship. Now, _that_ is trickier than you might think. You'd need to make your way in, stop any Jaffa that shoot at you, stop any nasty surprises... you get the gist. But the spoils would include your first interstellar ship, with hyperdrive, shields and... other toys. You'll see why that is important in a minute. But, if you decide to blow it up, you'll still get all the toys Ra has hidden on that planet. If you succeed in killing Ra, we will teach you about the periodic table of elements. From Hydrogen to Naquadah and beyond. The stuff you already know about the elements are cool, but _we_ know more. This one has no real time limit but after five years you'll have to do it entirely on your own without any support or tactical assistance from us. Of course, the prize will only be given if you have achieved the first challenge.

"Now for the fourth and **final** challenge! Do what you have to, to get rid of at least **half** the major Goa'uld System Lords out there; AND free the human slaves and the Jaffa in their domain; and you get... a brand spankin' new capital city-ship; With all the bells and whistles, fully fueled and even upgraded in some respects; with a full copy of the Ancients' database. Some of the knowledge in there is pretty impressive I gotta say. It will take you many, many, **many** generations to assimilate and understand even a tiny fraction of it. You should of course aim to free the **rest** of the galaxy from the tyrannical hold the Goa'uld have on it. But frankly, by that time, it's going to be an easier task than it sounds. Now, this challenge does not have a time limit, but we highly recommend you achieve it within twenty five years, because after that our intel sharing is off the table. And again, you have to achieve the first challenge in order to get the city-ship.

"At one point sooner or later, even if you do blow up Ra's ship, you will hopefully manage to acquire or make your first interstellar ship. When that happens we'll give you a better understanding of the technologies in it; like the power generators, hyperdrive, shields, weapons. But, you'll have to beat the first challenge first and get your hands on working examples of such technologies. Call it a _rite of passage_ if you will. Same goes for pretty much any other technology you come about, we'll teach you how they work, et cetera... To put this in perspective, if you were to start researching hyperdrive technology on your own and without a working example to reverse engineer; even **with** Carter's full help; it would still take you about a century or so before you figure out all the details.

"And then the real fight begins... You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned the Aschen, the Ori, the Replicators or the Wraith so far.

"So, the Wraith, they are a long term goal. These baddies are in the Pegasus galaxy. You may_ eventually _be able to deal with them on your own standing. But that will be _after_ you have secured **this** galaxy. _After_ you have made many friends and allies here. _After_ you have built a lot of ships; And _after_ you come to the understanding that defeating _those_ guys will come with a cost. A great cost

"The Aschen? Hmm, if they decide to show their ugly heads... too bad for them. You should avoid them for now. But if you accidentally bump into them before you are ready, we'll help. Later on, you will most likely be able to defend yourselves against them on your own and they should not be a serious threat. You might still want to take them out or otherwise intervene to stop their traipsing of the galaxy.

"The replicators should not be a problem. We'll deal with them shortly."

"The Ori?... Seriously, do **NOT** poke that bear. Leave it alone for the foreseeable future. Big honking danger of intergalactic proportions comes from those guys. Last time, we barely beat them, and things could have turned out differently, _very very differently_. Especially if we hadn't had help at the eleventh hour. We've already taken measures to ensure that what accidentally happened the last time to awaken _that_ beast, does not happen again. Even with all the technology we are willing to give you, the Ori are not to be taken lightly...

"Any questions?" He asked with a smirk after a pause.

Everyone in the room just stood there looking baffled, the president included.

After several attempts at opening his mouth to speak and then closing it, the president spoke, "You do realize I have no context to understand **any** of what you just said, right?"

"Oh, right. Well that was the condensed version, here's the detailed one." He snapped his fingers and the table got covered in a veil of blue-white sparkly light, several piles of books along with what looked like a pair of big boxy 1990's computer towers materialized on top of it when the light cleared.

"Son of a bitch!" Yelled the president, startled, he had jumped back. He wasn't the only one.

"There's all the details you will want."

"Well..."

"If there's nothing else...?"

"Actually you still haven't answered one of my questions. You haven't answered **many** of my questions for that matter, but... You look like a United States Air Force Colonel by the name of Jack O'Neill, correct?"

"Yes." Answered James, with a raised eyebrow.

"Is it accurate to say that you **are** Jack O'Neill?"

"Mmmm, in a way, yes. So?"

He suspected this would be a bit of a wild claim, but he thought he should at least try it. "So? You are an American. A member of the United States military, a Colonel in the United States Air Force, and _consequentially_ under my command!" He took a breath and straightened himself, "Thus I **order** you to surrender your ships and technology and everything to us!"

The holographic image of Jack O'Neill smiled a toothy smile and said, "Julius owes me ten bucks!"

A moment of staring passed.

"Gutsy move Mr. President. I knew you had it in you, but to do that while keeping a straight face... That took guts!"

The president sighed, "Well it _is_ true is it not?"

"Perhaps. But it is irrelevant. You think we came up with all this overnight?" He said waving at the table. "We debated _how_ and _when_ to approach you for over a decade. There are plans within plans to make sure you **safely** assimilate any technology given or found. To keep you from shooting yourselves in the foot, as the saying goes. And to make sure you don't blow up this planet in the process.

"We didn't foresee there would be a coup in Moscow... that was unfortunate. It forced us to intervene more than we intended to at this point." He sighed.

"What exactly did you do to O'Neill, Carter and Uh, Jackson, is it?" The President asked."

"Like I said, their memories have been downloaded to them, memories from several years in the future. Right before the Replicators wiped us out. Don't you worry they're not otherwise changed, modified or anything, they just remember things that haven't happened, yet. Or actually won't happen any more either. Listen to those three, they'll help. Especially Carter, she could give you a hand in a lot of things.

"Now, I really should be going... Oh, somewhere in there," He said pointing at the pile of books, "you will find several ready made speeches for you to choose from. Look them up, there are many different versions of them, even ones that make **us** look bad. Pick one, and don't delay too long. I'm sure some wackos out there will use our visit as an excuse to make a mess. That and I bet many people are genuinely scared right now... Go do your job Mr. President."

And with that the hologram winked out.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Same day, in a galaxy far away.**

**Bridge of the ****_Santa Maria_****.  
**

A control console gave a bleep, "Ah, we got their attention. _Finally_."

"Bring it up." Said Colombo, a Daniel Jackson copy and Commander of this vessel. Though he didn't really have to _see_ it in any display since the information was already being relayed to his mind.

The swirling lights of hyperspace on the front viewer were replaced by a sensor display of this area of the galaxy. It showed two contacts in an intercept course.

"Time to intercept, five minutes." Said another.

"Let's find a nice quiet place to drop out of hyperspace." Colombo said.

The screen changed, showing a map of the area. It was overlaid with known information of the surrounding systems.

"There," he said while controlling the console. "Blue Giant, 250 light years from Othalla. No planets with life. And there's a satellite there. Let them get a good look at us."

Minutes later they dropped out of hyperspace a quarter of a light year away from the Asgard satellite. Scans showed a barren system. It had no habitable planets and apart from the Asgard satellite, nothing else of interest... yet.

Two hyperspace windows opened ahead of them introducing the Asgard vessels into the system. The Bilskirnir-class vessels stopped and raised their shields. The Asgard seemed to give pause at the view of the ship.

**SGSGSGSGSG  
**

The computer registered the ship as an Aurora-class battleship, although it was obvious that it had a few... upgrades from the last known configuration of such vessel. The Asgard was stunned to see the ship. The Ancients had not shown any indication they still exist, not for many millennia. The ship had not raised its shields, or powered any weapons. Perhaps as a show that they are not hostile. 'This is going to be interesting.' thought Thor.

He activated a communication link to send a transmission. "Greetings I am..."

"_Greetings Thor_." A video transmission cut in. The man sitting on the bridge of the other vessel spoke. "_We were hoping to find you and introduce ourselves. I am Colombo, Commander of this vessel_." The language he used for the greeting was Asgard, that alone was peculiar. It was difficult for other species to pronounce the language properly. Thor blinked, stunned again by the display of the bridge of an Aurora ship. Something no Asgard had laid eyes on in millennia.

"You are Alteran?" Thor asked.

"_Uhm, no. Not quite. We are, originally, from Avalon. A planet you call Midgard_." He said switching to another language, which Thor also understood.

'So, these are the children of the Ancients?' Thor thought. 'But, how could they have advanced this far, in such a short time?'

"What can the Asgard do for you, people of Midgard?" Thor asked.

"_It is what we can do for you that we are here to discuss_." Was the answer, "_In the next few minutes, with your permission, many of our vessels are going to enter this galaxy and take care of the mechanical bug problem you have. Hopefully, after today, the replicators will not bother any of the species in this galaxy any more_."

"The Asgard have been fighting the replicators for a long time. How is it that you can defeat them all in one day as you claim?"

"_Accurate information has been lost in the eons. However, to a high degree of certainty, we believe we have discovered their origin. We think they were created by an android, by the name of Reese, that had flawed programming. They were supposed to be... a toy. But they were programmed to replicate; and they did. I am transmitting all relevant information now_." Colombo said.

Thor blinked, this would certainly be a revelation. If they were able to learn more about this android, they might be able to ascertain a method to defeat them. He started looking through the data that was transmitted. 'But still, how could they defeat them all in one day?' He thought, he got his answer before asking it.

"_Destroying them all, one by one, is impossible. They will always make more of themselves. Destroying them all at the same time has been attempted. And it failed. The few that survived, later returned, stronger than before, even immune to the weapon previously used on them." _Colombo paused,_ "The only way to stop them is by reprogramming them._"

"We have tried that approach. Unsuccessfully." Thor pointed out.

"_You did not have the original android's information. We... know how to reprogram them. What we are uncertain of, is how they got to this galaxy, and how many other galaxies they may be in._" Actually, that was a lie, they knew exactly what had happened, but it would have been a reasonable question if they did not known; and they didn't want to reveal that information, yet. Besides, there might be some information they were never told about before.

"That was our doing."

"_I see._" Colombo nodded, "_Can you tell me what happened?_"

"Eons ago, they were found in your home galaxy, Avalon. We brought a few aboard one of our vessels. They were being brought here for study. During that time we realized they were a threat and we destroyed them... Or we thought we had. They resurfaced many years later."

"_Were there any left on Avalon?_" Colombo asked with a frown.

"No, those I destroyed." Thor blinked, "I think."

Colombo held back a laugh, but a smile showed. "_Could you transmit the relevant details to me? In particular, where they were found; So we can make sure_."

"Indeed." And he did just that.

"_What about other galaxies? Do you know if they have gone anywhere else?_"

"Not to my knowledge."

He sighed, "_Alright, we will have to search around in a radius of a few million light years' distance anyway, to make certain._"

Thor blinked and did not comment, the resources it would take and logistical nightmare of such an endeavor would be _enormous_.

"_So,_" Colombo paused for effect, "_do we have your permission?_"

Thor took a moment to reply, "Why are you asking for our permission?" He left out, '_It is a big galaxy.'_

"_You are the dominant civilization in this galaxy. We are asking, so that you are aware of whose warships are in your neighborhood. I am transmitting the plan of action for this venture, along with some other information. We don't want any misunderstandings. And we certainly mean you no harm._"

"I will consult with the High Council." He said after a moment and ended transmission.

**SGSGSGSGSG  
**

It took several minutes, the council had probably reviewed the entire conversation during that time, along with much of the information given. Eventually a communication channel opened.

"_The High Council has agreed to your request, but asks that I accompany you to observe your progress._"

"That is agreeable. I will inform the fleet."

He turned slightly to the right, facing a secondary display screen. Pressed a few buttons on his console and waited for the connection.

"_Pest control central, this is Luke, how may I help you?_" Answered 'Luke Skywalker', an O'Neill copy, with a huge grin.

"Bug Spay is a go." Answered Colombo with a smile, "Thor would like to ride shotgun and have a look-see."

"Alright, I'll be there in a jiff."

**SGSGSGSGSG  
**

Thor, Supreme commander of the Asgard fleet was perplexed. Across the Galaxy, their sensor satellites were detecting _something._ Many somethings. They were small, quickly entering and exiting each satellite's limited short range sensors nearly instantaneously. Only the short range sensors were able to register the contacts. The long range sensors were focused on longer distances and thus had lower resolution. He surmised that whatever stealth technology those ships were using must be at least on par with their own, probably better.

_There!_ A much larger massed ship was clearly registering. It traveled much slower than the others. This one seemed to not utilize any stealth technology at all. Nevertheless, its mere size impressed even Thor.

When it crossed into the detection radius of the shorter range sensors of a satellite, he got a better look. It was big. Twice the size of the Auroras. And it was escorted by two much smaller ships. He got a better look at the smaller ones too. They were too small for the long range sensors to even register! '**That** is a tactical error we must remedy,' he thought.

His own ship's sensors then informed him of a vessel detected at the edge of its range, traveling through hyperspace towards his position. Before he could blink, a hyperspace window opened and it came out of it.

"That was fast!" He uttered to himself.

It was a small, glossy white colored ship; with an aesthetically pleasing design with long lines and curvy hull. It opened a transmission.

"_Thor, buddy! How's it going?_" Luke asked.

"Going?" he asked.

"_Never mind._" He waved his hand. "_So, are you gonna tag along with your ship, or do you want us to give you a ride?_"

Thor blinked, these idioms the man used were unfamiliar to him. He _guessed_ the man was asking if he wanted to join the endeavor with his own ship, or be aboard their ship for it. 'It is safer for me to stay with my ship.' He thought, 'But, it would be foolish to pass up an opportunity to take a closer look at their vessel.'

"I will join you aboard your vessel for this endeavor."

"_OK, transmitting coordinates where you can beam in._"

**SGSGSGSGSG  
**

Thor, with his command chair, beamed in to the flight deck. He was greeted by a Human woman, a copy of Carter.

"Hello Thor." She said. Before Thor could speak, the room's doors withdrew.

"Thor! Welcome aboard the _Hermes_, I am Luke Skywalker, overall commander of this task force and I'll be your guide this evening." The man said. He was wearing a uniform Thor was sure he had seen before, but he could not place it.

"Greetings."

"Well then, let's go to the bridge and start this party." The man said pointing behind his back.

Thor hovered his command chair and moved forward.

The man turned and asked the woman in the room. "Is that thing gonna fit through the doors?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh!" She frowned, "Thor, that chair will probably not fit into the elevators, you will have to walk, or..." She went to a console and searched for something. "You could use another model." She said pointing to the display that covered the entire wall. "Well, one that would fit anyway. Let me... see which ones are small enough..." She spoke while looking at the dimensions of each chair.

The screen showed a wide selection of Asgard hover chairs. The model he was currently using, a medic's version, a scientist's version, an ambassador's version... and on and on... even models used for heavy construction!

"How is it you know so much about the Asgard and yet we know so little about you?"

"Chloe..." The Commander gave the woman a pointed look and she looked apologetic.

"All in good time Thor." He said turning towards him.

Thor had questions... but held them back, for now.

"I think this one should be satisfactory." Chloe said hesitantly. "Should I construct one?"

The screen focused on a more compact version designed for hazardous exploration. A version with stronger defenses and sensors. It was scarcely used, only when necessary, due to it being less comfortable.

"That will not be necessary." Answered Thor, "I will bring my own." He got up and walked a few steps. He had this chair beamed out, and one of the other model beamed in. Then he swiftly sat on it.

'Curious.' Thought Thor, but did not comment.

After that they quickly made their way to the bridge, while Thor's questions grew _exponentially_. When they got to the bridge, his curiosity finally won over and he _had_ to have answers.

"I have many questions to ask. I want them answered." Thor demanded.

_-+o+-_

_A/N: According to the Stargate wiki: Thor's old ship was named Biliskner. It is a Bilskirnir-class ship.. Rough spelling I know._

_Also according to the stargate wiki, the Ancients' name for the milky way galaxy was 'Avalon'._

_Christopher Columbus' (Cristoforo Colombo) ship was named the Santa Maria, full name: La Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción._

_Regarding the glossy white ships they use: Think something of a cross between the **304**_ _from Stargate, the **Defiant-class**_ _from Star Trek and the **Marauder-class**_ _from Star Wars__. Sized smaller than the 304 and bigger than the Defiant._

_Please review to feed my muse._

Thanks to my beta readers for their help.

_Posted on 2012-09-02_


	3. Chapter 03, Intergalactic Politics

**Notice:** I do not own Stargate... yadda yadda yadda

**Contact info:** Find me on FanFiction

**Stargate: Do Over  
**

Previously:

"I have many questions to ask. I want them answered." Thor demanded.

**Chapter 03, Intergalactic Politics.**

Luke stared at Thor. Chloe audibly gulped. Luke stared some more.

He then sighed and said, "OK buddy, let's get over this quickly, we got bugs to catch."

"My sensors have detected only one life sign aboard this vessel." Thor pointed at Chloe, "Her. Why are the rest of you not registering?"

"That's easy, she's biological. The rest of us are not."

Thor tilted his head. If he had eyebrows to raise, he would.

"In case of a screw-up with the replicators, she'll hopefully be unaffected and able to intervene. She and others are in each ship of the task force as our last line of defense in a worst case scenario."

"You mean to say you are androids." Thor blinked, "She is here to safeguard for the possibility that the attempt at reprogramming the replicators backfires and they instead reprogram you. That... that would be catastrophic!"

"Yes."

Thor blinked and took a moment to absorb that. "The replicators must not be allowed to obtain advanced hyperdrive technology." He said.

"They won't." Luke answered in certainty.

"I detect in you some aspects of technology we have previously only seen in replicators. Why is that?"

"The Ancients created the base aspects of the technology. They called their creations 'Asurans'. They were nanite-based artificial intelligences networked together, meant to be used as a weapon. However they were badly programmed and the Ancients were unhappy with their creation. They attempted to destroy them all, long ago; they failed. More recently we... replicated the technology and improved it. My appearance is that of a Human named Jack O'Neill. I have also a copy of his core memory imprint in me. And before you ask, yes the others here that look exactly like me also have the same core memory imprint in them and others that look like Chloe have the same core memory imprint as her. We have a few differences among us, specifically some of our knowledge differs."

"You _are_ replicators? More _advanced_ replicators?" He was not surprised the Ancients were involved. They had left a lot of technology scattered throughout the galaxies when they... left.

"Yes and no. The technology has a similar basis, though we have made a great many upgrades. But the primary difference is that I was _not_ _programmed_. I have the knowledge, memories, experiences, wishes, fears, guilt, strengths, faults, personality... all of what the _original_ had. I am not an artificial intelligence, I _am_ sentient. As is everyone else here."

"Without a biological part, true sentience is... extraordinarily difficult. You are not the result of biological reproduction, how can you claim sentience?"

"I could ask **you** a similar question. No Asgard has been born in a thousand years. Yet here you are. The memory imprint of an Asgard downloaded into a cloned body, again and again and again."

Curious. "How do you know that? That is one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Asgard." Thor asked leaving the sentience debate aside.

"We know a lot about a lot of things. We know a lot about the Asgard as well. Please do not let that alarm you. In another time we were friends. We hope to be friends again."

"You are referring to the Great Alliance. Yet you are not Alteran." Thor said.

'Hmm, he misunderstood my statement, maybe I don't need to correct him?' Luke thought, 'Some misdirection is in order... let the diplomats handle the big stuff.'

"If I clone a biological body and download _my_ version of the memory imprint into _that_ body. Would you then consider that person a Sentient Human being?" he asked. "Do you consider Chloe here, to be Human?"

Thor opened his mouth to answer, then thought of the repercussions of either a positive or a negative answer. Both prospects were quite intriguing.

"What makes the biggest difference here, in this body, is the noggin." Luke continued and tapped a finger to the side of his head. "This body is made entirely out of nanites. Many of them are used to accurately emulate the exact configuration and functionality of a biological Human brain. In effect, my imprint occupies a Human brain. Others are used to emulate other biological functions throughout the body. That makes me _almost_ Human. I have free thought, feelings, personality...

"The Alteran never accomplished this. They programmed and run extremely complex artificial intelligence programs on various hardware. Many approached sentience, but none of them ever truly grew beyond their programming. They did not _think freely_ for themselves. A Human philosopher long ago said, _'I think, therefore I am'_... Well, **I Am**." Luke paused, "If my nanites were not emulating a brain, the result would be very convincing, but not entirely accurate. The Ancients found out long ago that when a sentient being's imprint... for lack of a better word, _runs_ on computer hardware something is never quite right. The personality would diverge from normal behavior a little bit. Too hostile, too friendly, too predictable, too unpredictable, too analytic... Very convincing but always something slightly off."

"Mmm, I will have to confer with one of our scientists that specialize in this field about these matters." Thor offered, "And the replicators?" He asked.

"The models you have seen are mindless machines that have the ability to simulate some primitive intelligence. Nothing more. Colombo already told you how they were created in the first place."

"This ship...?"

"She's a beauty isn't she?" He cut in excitedly, "We designed her ourselves. I mean the O'Neills, my line of imprints."

"How many... of your line are there?"

By that time they had already arrived at the system they intended to start in. Luke signaled someone to proceed with the task they had to do. This verbal battle might in the end be just as important as that.

"There are thousands."

"Why thousands and not one? If the original memory imprint was of one person, having it concurrently occupy many bodies, many brains seems; _**Is**_... unnatural." Thor opined.

'Ough, that will be hard to answer, it's the diplomats job to handle this stuff damn it.' He thought, "Uhm, you know of the repositories of knowledge the Ancients left behind." It was not a question.

Thor nodded.

"When we were created, the original had knowledge relative to the size of the Ancients' database in him. If the imprint carried with it all that knowledge... it would be unable to function by emulating a Human-based brain. We would have to fall back to using better and faster but ultimately simpler computer processors and basically be just smart machines. Or, we would have to emulate a brain that is something else, more advanced, but not Human. So, the core experiences and personality of the original are the same in all of us. Plus different small fragments of the original's full knowledge." That was very close to the truth, only fudged a little bit. Luke smiled a little thinking of what Thor's reaction will be when he is told the exact details.

"That is..." Thor was speechless. Any other questions he had, slipped away. He completely missed the fact that some of the questions were sidetracked. He was completely and utterly stunned. This simple yet brilliant idea, if applied properly could potentially allow the Asgard to fix their genetic problems by inhabiting bodies of another race, for instance Human bodies. The increased mental capacity of the Asgard has been one of the reason they were unable to fix their problem. That increase was not exactly natural in the first place. Why had they not thought of this potential solution before?

After moments had passed during which Thor was not forthcoming with more questions, Luke moved on to oversee the task force. It was going well. Large populations of replicators were already completely removed from planets and gathered in open space. They were instructed to configure themselves into spheres and towed by the task force vessels. It appears the replicators had yet to assimilate any advanced hyperdrive technology, so they were mostly inhabiting planets in one big chunk of the galaxy. Hopefully none of them would slip away.

The tricky part would be when they found any replicators still in the presence of other civilizations. They needed to take care no pieces remained so they could not be recreated later by that civilization. Even so, it was entirely possible some would slip their grasp... This project would have to be an ongoing effort for many years after the initial sweep.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Thor observed as the task force continued its sweep, after the initial contact the replicators transmitted the reprogramming amongst themselves. In most occasions there were enough replicators on a planet to form their own ships and reach orbit. The task force simply had to gather the blocks and check - **thoroughly** - for stragglers. The towed masses of replicators had become so enormous, many of the ships had left to deliver their load somewhere and then later returned to re-join the effort. He was not told where they went and he did not ask.

He had spent a long time thinking through their discussion. Especially the implications it could mean for the Asgard. Their cloned bodies were degrading. For many Asgard this was already a problem, their bodies had degenerated and could no longer produce viable clones. In the time of a few minutes since he got here, Thor was introduced with two possible avenues the Asgard could research to fix their problem. The technology these people had could certainly solve the problem. Would they be willing to help?

Inside of a few hours, the progress was obvious. A large area of the previously replicator occupied space was now free of them. A few young species in this region of the galaxy would be forever changed, their civilization altered by the effects of the invasion of these weird metallic creatures and the memory they would leave behind. Many others were not so lucky, those were completely extinct.

He learned the function of the very big ship they brought with them. He got a close look at it, it was bulky and ugly. Very unlike the small ships. It had a brighter shade of white and peculiar big red colored crosses on the largest surfaces. They found an industrial civilization that had fought back en masse to defend their planet. Most of those few that had survived were injured in some way, too many to leave the matter to fate without catastrophic results to the species. They were treated on the big ship, which he now knew was a _hospital_ ship. Thor provided information he already had for the insectoid species' physiology and they took care of the rest.

Thor considered that act. They seemed to be willing to intervene and help a less advanced alien species. Which was good, because even with all their technology the Asgard might need some help implementing their ideas. Thor was in the unique situation of thinking the Asgard might be the less advanced species compared to another. Something that had not happened in millennia.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

The initial sweep took more than a day. The fleet intended to make a second sweep and then most of the fleet would scatter in all directions seeking stray replicators. A few would remain in this galaxy to keep looking. Space is a _big_ place, it is almost a certainty that some of them slipped away somehow. Many natural, and artificial, phenomenon could block the reprogramming signal from reaching stray groups. Those stragglers will be eventually found and gathered. And the search would continue on.

Thor was ready to return to his ship. He had much to report. The High Council will have a fit, hearing once again, they may no longer be the most technologically advanced species in the Local Galactic Group.

"Thor, before you run off to your duties." The Commander said, "You should contact the Santa Maria. Some of the Jackson line act as our resident Ambassadors when needed. Our Ambassador to the Asgard is aboard that ship, along with others that would like to talk with you."

"Very well, I will contact them."

The ship dropped out of hyperspace.

"Well here we are, right back to where we started." He said looking out from a view port where the Santa Maria and the two Asgard ships drifted.

"Farewell, Luke Skywalker."

"See you around Thor, may the force be with you!" He answered with a huge grin. Other O'Neills nearby grinned and snickered at that. The Carters and Jacksons rolled their eyes and shook their heads at his antics.

Thor beamed away, noting once again he needed to learn about all these idioms these Humans...? no, Asurans?; Well whatever they called themselves; were using.

After conferring with Aegir who was safeguarding the Biliskner and sending a quick report back home, he contacted the bigger, bulkier aurora-class ship.

"Greetings,"

"Hello, Thor. Would you like to come over here, or for us to send the Ambassador over there?"

"I will come aboard your vessel." His curious nature wanted to have a look at the Aurora-class vessel from the inside and perhaps take a peak at what upgrades they had done to it.

"OK, I am sending you coordinates where you can beam into."

Thor spent a moment gazing through a view port at the two different ships. One big and bulky, with an air of strength around it; designed as a warship by the Ancients. One small and stylish, designed by the... 'Hmm, what **do** they call themselves?'

He beamed in to the bigger ship. He was welcomed by Colombo; or was it another?

Well, he could find out with a proper formal greeting, if they would only allow him to complete one.

"Greetings, I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet." He said quickly hoping to not be interrupted this time.

"Greetings Thor, I am Jules Verne, Ambassador of the Asurans."

Aha! So they call themselves Asuran.

"Please call me Jules." He quickly added, "If you'd come this way, there is much I would like to speak with you about." The Asuran said.

Thor noted this ship had larger doors and corridors. His regular chair _would_ have been able to fit. But he was still using the uncomfortable compact one.

"Looking at this ship from the inside, is... fascinating." 'Historic' Thor didn't say, when they were passing through a row of computer consoles.

"Yeah, the Alterans _did_ have an eye for design. Though this model is fairly outdated. We had to redesign much of it so she could get here under her own power. We chose this old model hoping you would recognize it as friendly."

They arrived at a room with a large conference table in it.

A tablet was on the table, in front of the location indicated for Thor to approach. He looked at it, but had a few questions first before the ambassador started his spiel.

"You call yourselves the Asurans." he stated.

"We do, we adopted the name."

"What is your relationship with the Humans of Midgard?"

"Midgard, Earth, Terra, Tau'ri... It's our home, was our home. Uhm, it _was_ our home planet. We identify ourselves with the people there, since although we are apart from them now, we once were them. Now... now we are so far more advanced from them technologically it would be difficult to fit in."

"Are you their guardians? Their protectors? Their overlords? Their rulers?"

"Good question. We... I, don't know yet. We certainly do _not_ want to be their rulers. We hope to guide them, teach them and then let them flourish on their own. It will be a difficult process. In the mean time we do quietly guard them against anything they might not be ready to face yet. We hope that very soon they will not need that guardianship, that they will be able to defend themselves."

"We do something... similar with a few planets." Thor said without elaborating, "According to our latest records, the civilizations on Midgard were technologically primitive... Have they advanced so much, so quickly, to being able to defend themselves against the Goa'uld, and other threats?"

"Yeah.. No... Not yet." Verne answered. "They have certainly advanced a lot since your last visit." He paused. "Look at **us**. A few of them. We did, all this!" He said pointing his hands around the room. "Imagine what they, all together, can do."

"But this, is technology of the Ancients."

"Isn't that how it usually happens in the Milky Way galaxy? Someone, somewhere finds some technology left over by the ancients and they evolve, rapidly..." he said, "Sorry, the _Avalon_ galaxy, we call it the _Milky Way_."

"Indeed. Often with horrendous results." Thor answered.

"Yeah, case and point, the Goa'uld. Most of _their_ technology is stolen or found. Good thing most of them haven't found the good stuff yet."

"Most?"

"Mmm, there is one. He may be a problem to deal with. Anubis."

Thor consulted his computer, looking for details on Anubis. "Anubis. He was defeated and killed; even by Goa'uld standards his actions were horrible."

"Not killed, exiled. He's back. In a decade or two he will... stir the pot. He is not like the other Goa'uld."

"I am reminded I need to look into your culture, you are using many idiomatic phrases I am unfamiliar with."

"Oh?... Oh, our language, we have various cultural idioms we use, from various cultures too. Earth civilizations often intermingled sharing cultural characteristics with others, including language. On top of that we have many expressions that have no logical etymology behind them. Any translation program would have a hard time figuring out that mess without preconfigured references. Well, I could **give** you that information if you wish." Said Jules rapidly.

"Please do." Thor said.

Verne spent a moment of thought, then got up and faced Thor. "This might hurt a bit." He said and stuck his fingers into Thor's head.

The process took only a few moments and he withdrew his hand.

Thor stiffened immediately when he became alert. He activated the chair's defense shield, drew the weapons and alerted his _ship_ to do the same.

"What did you do!" He demanded.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Meanwhile on Earth.**

**Unknown location, United States.**

"Tell me how to dial the device!"

"See, you pick it up, then you press the buttons of the number you wish to call and put it on your ear..."

"You are insubordinate Colonel!"

"Right back atcha."

"I have given you an order..." The interrogator said.

"**I OUTRANK YOU!**" Yelled O'Neill.

The interrogator, a Major General, was fuming! He did not have to tolerate this blatant disregard for his rank. The snide remarks. The outright insults! He wanted to send this guy on, to the _real_ interrogators. They'd cut through the bullshit real quick. But he was willing to try a softer approach first, his willingness was running out.

"I am a Major General of the United States Air Force you are a..."

"**Lieutenant** General of the United States Air Force! Three stars, not two!" Answered Jack.

"You are a Colonel only. You will answer my questions." He said as calmly as he could possibly force himself to.

They stared at each other for endless moments.

"Can we hurry this along to where you send in the torture guys?"

"Oh, I'm sure they'll enjoy having a round at you if you keep _this_ up."

"This **is** 1991, right? And you haven't yet figured out the 'gate, right?"

"That's why I am asking you to..."

"Then for your information, there is nothing here, on earth, or that those butchers can do to me that hasn't already been tried. And by the way your methods of torture pale in comparison to what I have suffered at the hands of Ba'al." He interrupted.

"We'll see about that!"

"We will. Now, in the mean time, how about you send someone in that has more than two neurons working in his head? This relationship is clearly not going to work. So... Hey! You behind the glass there! Find me someone I can work with already!"

**SGSGSGSGSG**

A few minutes later, the door to the 'interview' room opened and in walked another sharply dressed man wearing a suit.

Jack snorted.

The new interrogator raised an eyebrow in question and sat down.

Jack sat and remained quiet, hand on his chin, staring at the other man.

He asked a couple of questions, to which he did not get _any_ response. Just continuous staring.

"So that's your new tactic?" The man asked. "Staring?"

"I'm thinking."

"Thinking what?"

"Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that you're here."

"It's a good thing _**I**_ am here I assure you..."

"You're wearing a suit. So, I'm guessing you already started working for the NID." Jack stated. To which the other man twitched and showed clear signs of restraining himself from further display.

"'we met?"

"Oh, Harry, of course we have met. Many, many, many times."

"Ah, so we work together in this alternate reality thing of yours?"

"I see you must have talked with Carter. How's she doing?"

"No, I haven't talked to her yet. Just read that in some of her reports." Harry Maybourne said.

"It's called alternate timeline you know." Jack pointed out.

"That's what I said."

"No, you said alternate _reality_, there's a difference. Ask Carter!" He said with a thin smile.

"See, this is better isn't it? You, me, talking." Harry said.

"I'm still not sure which Harry I'm dealing with here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There's two sides to Harry Maybourne. The young and stupid side that is willing, eager even, to do foolish things and cause immense damage, just to get his hands on a few trinkets and to _hell_ with the consequences. Then there's the older slightly smarter Harry that is happy to help, thinks before he acts and is willing even to risk his own life to save others." He paused, "Which one are you?"

"Quite the philosopher. But I'm not here to have a philosophic discussion. I'm sure we'll have time enough for that later. Now there are more pressing issues we must discuss."

"Such as?"

"How the device works."

"See now, remember what I told you about young, stupid and consequences? Do you even know the consequence of me answering that? I mean sure, ask me again in a year, I'll tell you everything I know about that." He shrugged, "Are you even fully briefed?"

"I am."

"You are fully briefed that if I _tell_ you how to use the stargate, now, today, we lose the challenge and we don't get the super-awesome-gate?" Asked O'Neill.

"What I do know is that we sent you back in time to warn us about something. Yet now that you're here you don't seem to care."

"Excellent misdirection, bad information. And when you're trying to guilt-trip someone, make sure you have all the available information first."

"Whatever it is we sent you back to fix, why not tell us now so we can fix it?" Retorted Maybourne.

"You **didn't** send **anyone** back in time. Besides, that problem is, for now, beyond your capacity to comprehend. How about you ask me about something I _can_ answer instead of something that would cost us greatly if I _did_ answer?"

"Why would it cost us _anything_ if you answer my question about this, this _stargate_ device?"

Jack sighed, "You really have **not** been briefed. Shame really. It means I can't even call you young and stupid. You're just... ignorant."

"Then enlighten me."

"We, all of us, the whole earth, have been offered some challenges, one of them is..." The intercom speakers came on at this time and a voice spoke, "Maybourne, come outside. The decision has been made to try stronger methods of persuasion."

Jack continued, "Is to figure out the gate on our own without outside help. Carter, Daniel and I, count as outside help. Frankly, it's the easiest challenge of all! Just put a few brainiacs on it and they'll figure it out. The award for succeeding is awesome, ask Carter about it!"

Maybourne was already at the door by then, "Harry! Wait. Listen. Whoever is running this shindig does not have Presidential authorization. Any politician worth their weight would see, that attempting the challenge on your own is a far better option. Besides, this one's child's play compared to the others and you got a full year to do it!"

Any further discussion was cut short by the door opening and someone urging Maybourne out.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Back on the Santa Maria.**

"Wow," he had never before seen Thor angry. _This_ was angry! "Thor, wait, wait! I simply **gave** you the cultural information for you to understand the idioms we use."

"My head is on fire!"

"I might have given you too much perhaps. Calm down please, it'll pass. It's just a headache. I didn't know it would have this effect on you."

A bright light proceeded a hologram appearing. A hologram of Thor. "That was a bad idea." He said.

"I figured that, Thor."

"What?" Asked Thor, the live one, flinching at his own voice.

"What?" Asked Verne.

"Jules, I believe introductions would be appropriate." Said the holographic Thor.

"Oh, right. Thor meet Thor. Thor, Thor." He said first pointing at one, then the other, then the reverse process. He would have found the humor in this if not for the current situation.

"It was not just the amount of information that causes the discomfort, it was the method of delivery." Said holographic Thor.

"Really? I thought you guys do this thing all the time?"

"No, not this _bluntly_. Our methods are more... delicate." He turned to the live Thor. "You sent a message to your ship. Things are about to get awkward if you do not contact them and explain why you raised the alarm."

A display activated showing a view of the bridge, "Jules, why do I have two Asgard ships pointing their weapons at me?"

"Uhh, a misunderstanding?"

Thor shook his head violently and rapidly; stretching his neck upwards several inches.

Jules was taken aback, he'd never seen **that** before. "Is he alright?" He asked the holographic Thor.

"He is fine, merely stunned and amazed. The headache should only be mild. Asgard do not normally have headaches however. We do not often get amazed either." Said holographic Thor.

"Thor, I don't know what happened, but could you please talk to your ships? They're antsy!" Said Colombo from the bridge.

"Antsy? How can a ship be antsy? It does not wear clothing in which to put tiny insects." Said live Thor.

"Oooo-Kay." Said Jules. "I guess _that_ didn't work too well."

"Thor? Ships?" Asked the Commander urgently.

Thor dropped his chair's shield with a thought and he was beamed out immediately.

After which Colombo let an enormous exhale out.

"Why so nervous?" Jules asked Colombo, "The shields should be able to handle their weapons."

"I didn't raise them..."

"You're nuts."

"Indeed." Agreed holographic Thor.

"Hey! We're supposed to be a _diplomatic_ mission!" Answered Colombo.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Several minutes later, "Incoming transmission."

"Let's see it."

"If you wish to continue our discussion. We may do so aboard my ship."

"OK, we'll..." The transmission was cut. He sighed, "Pissing off the Asgard is _not_ what I had in mind here."

"We received beaming coordinates."

"Let the _Ambassador_ know."

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Aboard Thor's ship, a column of blue-white sparkles appeared followed by Verne as he transported in with a flash.

"Hi. Sorry for the... thing. Are you alright?" Said Jules.

"I am well." Answered Thor.

A second Asgard was in the room sitting on a _combat_ oriented chair. 'Wow, we were never considered a potential threat before.' Thought Jules.

"So, shall we continue?" He asked, "We were talking about Anubis..."

"You inserted your hand in my head and 'gave' me information." Thor interrupted.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't think it would cause all this trouble."

"It was very discomforting."

"It won't happen again; Again I'm sorry. Did the cultural information come through at least? Did it work?"

Thor blinked, "I am uncertain at this time. Whatever you did, has flooded my mind with mostly inconsistent and largely irrelevant information to what any Asgard would call _language_."

Jules thought about it, "Perhaps. We shall see." He took a seat in the big table in the room, slid a tablet over to where Thor was sitting and prepared himself to deliver his spiel.

"One of our major concerns is Anubis, once a Goa'uld, now partially ascended. He may be a major problem in our home galaxy that we may have to deal with personally. He is expected to make a comeback within a decade or two." And he continued, "There are a few others..."

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**March 3rd, early morning.**

**White house, Situation room.**

"So, that situation is resolved?" Asked the President.

"Yes sir, the General is in custody..."

"Not dead?" Interrupted the President.

"No, sir. Word is they want to deal with him publicly. We think, they hope it might help with their riot problem. Give the people something else to focus on. We are doing a lot better after your speech, but they still have a mess in their hands."

"Mr. Baker." He turned to the Secretary of State, "Contact our Embassy in Moscow, have them send an envoy to congratulate Mr. Gorbachev for a successful resolution of the coup attempt and inform them that you, personally, will be arriving as soon as possible. I want a letter ready for me to sign ASAP, which you will hand deliver. General highlights should be that we're faced with something external, unknown, not of this Earth. We should work together to figure out a united front to whatever this is, whoever they are... Put something there like 'we do not need to use nuclear weapons on each other simply because we're frightened', et cetera." He waved his hand at one of the aides.

Senator Fischer snorted audibly.

"Mr. President we cannot afford to show weakness or lack of resolve in the nuclear front." One of the Generals said.

"Richard, if nukes do fly, I become the **last** U.S. President. I'd much rather not."

The General bit his lip then nodded but with a frown.

He half-stood, half-turned back "Actually write one for others too!" He called to the retreating aide, "France, Canada, UK, Germany, China, Japan... You know the drill." He settled back down and turned to Senator Fischer. "Mr. Fischer, if you happen to have more experience in dealing with alien first-contact situations, please be my guest. Otherwise **shut up!** We're all winging it here..." Said the President.

Everyone sat up a little straighter at that, some gulped, others frowned, yet others grinned. Fischer was _furious_ but kept his peace.

"Now, anything new about those attacks?" He asked.

"A spy satellite in the middle east caught this." Said a military intelligence officer and passed on some folders.

The folder had dark and hazy pictures of what were barely recognizable as 'Puddle Jumpers' as they had started to call them. About half a dozen of them converged in a structure.

"Where was this?"

"These were taken right before the incident in Al Kharj. The location is a military installation north of Al Kut, that's in Iraq, sir. We believe it is a prison."

"And the Asurans attacked it? Why?" The President asked while taking a magnifying glass to the photos.

"There were allied military prisoners there, they freed them. We talked to a British soldier we evac'd. He claims they busted in, took down everyone, released him, treated his injuries; the words he used is 'Healed me with their hands, they _glowed_ and I was brand new.'" He paused at that. "He says they gave him provisions and a radio and told him to... I quote: 'Skedaddle and find your way home'. He also says there was an American prisoner. Jack O'Neill and that _they_ all looked like him."

One of the Generals was called away for a phone call.

"Clearly delusional, hopped up in narcotics perhaps. We can't be sure of anything he said." Said Senator Fischer.

"According to him, he was never before _more_ sober or clear minded than when they treated him." Countered the intelligence officer.

"So they busted O'Neill out and brought him to us, if a little rudely. But left the Brit go on his own?" Asked the President. "Interesting."

"He says after they first healed O'Neill; they, and I quote, 'shoved a hand into the American's head who then collapsed.' Sir, that matches the reports we have about Captain Carter and General Hammond."

"Uh-huh, what is _their_ status? Are they conscious yet?"

"Yes sir." Answered Air force General Peter Stanley.

"And?" After a moment of no response. "Have they said anything yet?"

"O'Neill is not cooperating. He's outright Hostile. Carter is talking up a storm, our scientists say they are very excited, but at the same time they can't understand most of what she's saying."

"Hammond?"

"He appears to be very cooperative, he is still being debriefed. But still what he describes is in the realm of science fiction." Said Stanley, who adamantly believed there were **no** such things as UFOs and aliens. He was convinced something else was going on. He found the President's early assumption plausible, that these people were sent back in time by the good ol' U.S. of A, to fix something, but now they were spewing nonsense, buying time and planning _something._ "However he is insisting that he has no knowledge of how to activate the device."

"Still haven't found the other one?"

"No, sir."

"Keep on that. Now, what happened in that ranch?"

"We really do not know anything new. They came, they left and took everything and everyone with them. Nothing was left behind except the structures. The locals say there was some kind of religious cult there, but most are afraid to talk about it."

The President sighed, if there was one thing that was **not** weird about this mess he would like to know about it! "Let's move on, what about the challenges and the stuff our... visitor left us?"

One of the promising young scientists from DARPA called to consult, began his spiel, "Sir, I have been reading the material. The technologies they are describing are amazing! Space travel to other star systems, even other Galaxies! The challenges..."

"Sir," interrupted the General that had been called away for the phone call earlier. "I have Brigadier General Carter on the line. He is absolutely insisting to be heard. He says he has some information that you should hear directly."

"Carter? Any relation to the young Captain?"

"Yes, her father."

The president raised an eyebrow. "What sort of information...? Hmm, put him on."

...

"General Carter?"

"_Yes... Mr. President?_"

"Yes."

"_Same president that ordered the interrogation and torture of two Air Force officers?_"

_-+o+-_

_A/N: My apologies for this: I had to edit the previous chapter where it said '____find, steal, buy or make__' to remove the ____steal__ part. It was pointed out to me that it could be... a problem. I replaced it with '____acquire or make__' which is less... naughty._

_Coming up next... Everyone's got some 'xplaining to do._

_Many thanks to my Beta readers._

_Please review, my muse is hungry._

_Posted on 2012-09-07_


	4. Chapter 04, Explanations

**Notice:** I do not own Stargate... yadda yadda yadda

**Contact info:** Find me on FanFiction

**Stargate: Do Over**

**Chapter 04, Explanations.**

**Ida Galaxy, near Blue Giant 250ly from Othalla.**

**Aboard the Biliskner.**

They had been talking, or mostly listening to Jules Verne talk, for quite a while.

Many races were mentioned, hostiles and friendlies alike, the Aschen, Goa'uld, Tok'ra, Hebridans, Langarans, Tollans, Nox...

Jules was catching them up on _current events_, of races of the Milky Way galaxy. From which they have been mostly absent for a long time.

Eventually they came to the important part.

"And there's only two others I'd like to talk to you about, for now. The first one if a bit delicate. The Vanir." And he paused waiting for a response.

"The Vanir?"

"The lost tribe? They live?" Asked Aegir from across the room, speaking for the first time.

"Yes, they're alive and... maybe not doing so well perhaps. They are currently somewhere in the Pegasus galaxy. As they have the same cloning degradation problem as you do, they have been doing research trying to find a solution. However, unlike you, they're not squeamish in regards to using humans as test subjects. We are uncertain where exactly they are however, finding them may take some time, if they do not wish to be found. Some more information is in the tablet. Ahm, so... we plan not to interfere with them, for now. They're all yours, feel free to deal with them yourselves. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it though."

"That is wise. I will discuss this with the council, we may be able to look for them. But I fear we have more pressing issues at the moment."

"Yes, pressing issues. I'm aware, rebuilding your damaged fleet, your colonies, guarding the protected planets, helping the remaining Alterans..."

"WHAT?" Yelled Thor.

"Oh, didn't I mention it? That's the other race I wanted to talk about. The Alterans." Jules said with a grin.

Thor remained still, mouth slightly gaping for a moment, a very human-like expression of surprise on his face. "But, they, left..."

"Oh, I am not talking about the Ascended ones, I'm talking about still living Alterans, there are... a few that we are aware of that need assistance. Some of them will certainly need medical attention, might even need new bodies. We can only hope those can be helped at all. Others are faring much better."

"Of course! If we can help, we will help. I am confident the High Council will agree we should join and assist any endeavor of helping our old allies. But if I may ask, if you know of their need, how come **you** have not helped them?" Said Thor.

"Yeah, I know, I know Thor; we got some explaining to do, and on that note, why don't we take a break, stretch our legs?"

Thor reluctantly bowed his head slightly. "Very well." He did not expect this obvious evasion, but let it fly for now, he would insist on an answer later.

"When we reconvene we are going to tell you some things we will only speak of **once; **and never again. We request the presence of Kvasir for that meeting. You are welcome to bring anyone else you may wish as well, a council member perhaps."

Thor looked on quizzically.

"That discussion _must_ take place aboard the Santa Maria. Whoever attends must be trusted to not repeat what is said." He stood up, "See you in one hour?"

After quick pleasantries Jules departed.

Thor was further surprised when he realized he was yearning for a brown colored liquid solution of ground roasted beans, something called _coffee_.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Previously:

"_Same President that ordered the interrogation and torture of two Air Force officers?_"

**White House, Situation Room.**

The President paused at that and thought, 'What? Is this guy on a crusade? Did we torture any Iraqi officers? It's been known to happen... No, that can't be what he is so pissed off about... No, no way, his daughter... shit!'

"General first off when addressing me I suggest you do so in a calm and respectful manner." He paused, "Now, what..."

"_Oh, forgive me Mr. President,_" he said spitefully, "_if I can't remain calm when my own daughter is being tortured!_"

The President winced at that, 'I certainly didn't order that, damn it we have no time for this.'

"General, you are referring to Captain Carter - your daughter – and Colonel O'Neill, are you not?"

"_Yes. I..._"

"Who told you they were being tortured?" He cut in loudly.

"_I'd rather not divulge my source. He said the one thing that was sure to get your attention is this message, 'They are making us lose the second challenge, the easy one'. I have no idea what that means but I assume you do._"

"Hmm, I'm sure they are both fine, they are surely not being... _tortured_. And I certainly did not order such action! Why don't you give her a call? Better yet go see her with your own eyes? Now, if you'll excuse me, I..." He really wanted to hang up and get to the bottom of this, _Now._

"_Don't you think I already tried that? I followed her trail from Al Kharj. I'm right outside the base where she's being held and I'm not even being allowed in!_"

The President sighed, "Anyone happen to have any idea about what he's talking about?" He asked the assembly. Most shook their heads, but for a second, one looked like he had just eaten the proverbial canary. General Stanley.

He wanted to punch the guy in the face.

"Who's the duty officer at the base?" The President asked no one in particular. "Find out and give him a call." He said to one of the aides.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Half a minute later an extremely bored and freshly promoted Major, one still not quite having gotten rid of the green behind his ears, was lounging with his feet up, bouncing a ball against the office wall. Nothing ever happened that the duty officer actually needed to do anything about, especially on a Sunday.

He answered the phone and quickly snapped out of his boredom daze, when he was told the call was coming from the White House, _the White House_! And that they wanted to talk to the duty officer ...that was _HIM!_

**SGSGSGSGSG**

The line patched through to the table's speaker-phone system.

"Major Andrews is it?"

"_Yes it is._" He answered trying to hide his nervousness.

"This is the President,"

The gulp was audible over the speaker phone. "_Sir._"

"I'm calling to inquire if you happen to know the whereabouts of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Captain Samantha Carter. Also, why is an Air Force Brigadier General being prohibited entry to your base?"

"_Uh, sir? I... Sorry sir, I have no knowledge, of either matter._"

"Fascinating. Tell me, is there something new around the base? Some sudden change that happened in the last day, day and a half or so? New personnel or something?"

"_Uhm, yes sir. There is some kind of exercise or drill or something by a team of spooks in one of the outlying buildings. I do not know the details, sir._"

"Uh-huh. How interesting! Now listen Major and listen carefully, this is what I want you to do..."

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Ida galaxy.**

**Santa Maria, conference room.**

"Welcome everyone. I must ask that any auditory, visual or _otherwise_ recording devices be turned off for the duration of this meeting. This meeting will take place inside of a low powered time dilation field that will only cover this conference hall. There already is a jamming field covering the entire ship that will block any signals. There are also other... security measures we have taken to ensure that what we discuss cannot be eavesdropped, no signal will be able to get out, no uninvited guests will be able to listen in. I beg you to not subvert all this effort, at least not knowingly so, by speaking aloud the content of this meeting later on for instance. Even if you were to do so in an empty room." Said Jules.

The four Asgard present, Penegal, Thor, Kvasir and Aegir were all very curious about the nature of a meeting that would remedy such extreme measures.

Penegal, a member of the High Council, voiced his concern. "Such extreme measures are really necessary?"

"We are being very cautious, indeed overly so. But it is warranted. If any of you don't agree to keep this secret, please excuse yourself from this meeting."

"Very well. It is acceptable." He gave his consent. The other Asgard nodded.

"We're ready to begin." Said Jules to a Carter copy who nodded and signaled the bridge via a console. The entire ship hummed momentarily. Then the time dilation field activated, making everything quiet, with sound coming from outside the room being diluted so much it didn't exist. Other measures had already been active making this ship impenetrable to _anyone _and _anything._

"All ready." She said.

"Great. Let me make introductions, I am Jules Verne, a member of the Daniel Jackson line; this is Sophie Germain, a member of the Samantha Carter line and Mr. Anderson, a member of the Jack O'Neill line. You do not need to introduce yourselves because, I must admit, we know you all very well. That is because we are... from the future."

The Asgard version of a gasp followed, in quartet.

"You cannot interfere with time! You must not change the normal course of events!" Kvasir spoke vehemently, "That can potentially destabilize the entire universe!"

"That is an accurate observation, when time travel is done improperly." Sophie said. "The Alterans were quite aware of the most major problems with time travel and large scale modifications of the time line. They also figured ways around them. Our method of _travel_ was based and even improved on those principles."

"In particular when traveling to the _past,_ as _you_ have done, the immediate concern comes from vast amounts of duplicate matter." Offered Kvasir, "How did you solve _that_ problem?"

"That was relatively easy to solve I suppose. We; they simply created a new small pocket universe and used _that_ as a source of energy to materialize us. Every last molecule we have, was created by energy from within that universe." She answered.

The four Asgard sat speechless at that remark. How could anyone refer to creating a universe as 'Simple'?

"But how can anyone, how... How did you create..." Kvasir was at a loss for words. "Could you please explain that process further?"

"No, it is beyond our understanding. None of us understand exactly how that pocket universe was created in the first place, not any more. We too are amazed by that concept." Answered Sophie.

"You mean you found it? A natural phenomenon?"

"No, no. We mean we just don't know how we; they did it. We know they did it, and that they used it as a source of energy to make us. But they did not let us know how. Maybe I should start back at the beginning?" Answered Jules.

"Another question please," Prompted Kvasir, "How do you propose to keep **this** new universe, the one you are creating right now by interfering with the natural timeline, from being destroyed? The other alternate reality universes, the ones you don't interfere with, will eventually apply too much pressure in the inter-reality medium and collapse this universe when the changes in it start diverging too much from the natural course of events. Even more so when it starts making its own alternate sub-universes." He said all in one breath, the question on his mind. A question that would give **immense** headaches to any 21st century scientist from Earth.

"Again, we don't know exactly what they did, but it had something to do with allowing such divergence and growth without it becoming an issue. They described it as plucking the realities and moving them around. How they did that, or what exactly that means, is quite beyond us." Sophie answered. "They also said the alternate universes would take care of themselves once the previously dominant ones started to no longer be dominant. I can only guess what all that means if I take it literally."

"Who are 'They' that you keep referring to?" Asked Penegal, while Kvasir was lost and muttering quite loudly to himself "They can not be _moved_ like that. That is _impossible!_"

Mr. Anderson answered that one, "It all started when the replicators re-emerged and the originals of our lines Ascended..."

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field.**

The parade ground outside one of the old outlying buildings was filling with NID officers sitting down with their ankles crossed and hands tied behind their backs. Many of them objected to the treatment loudly, promising hell to the SFs present.

It all happened real quick. Three squads of SFs with General Jacob Carter in the lead flooded the structure and hauled everyone out.

It took five minutes to find Carter.

The door to her 'room' opened, finally, but _this_ visitor was unexpected.

She spoke with a raised eyebrow, "Don't tell me they sent _you_ to interrogate me?"

"No, Sammy, I'm here to bust you out. Are you alright?"

She smiled, "Fine, just bored." She shrugged, then approached him and gave him a quick hug, "Thanks for the save. Although I had it covered."

"I was told you were being **tortured**!"

"Oh, they didn't get to _that_ part yet. I've told them so many things, mixed up nonsense in it enough to get them tied up with dead end after dead end. It would take a while to figure it out. Besides, I'd be long gone by then."

"Well, you're taking it all in stride. Sam, you were held prisoner!"

"Yeah, but they have lousy security here. Lousy accommodations too, so, I was planning to bust out tonight."

"And how on earth were you planning to do _that?_" He asked.

She snorted and started removing a _pin, a nail, broken pieces of glass, a bullet and a security pass_ from various hiding places on her person and around the room.

Her father looked at her surprised. "Sammy..."

She answered with a toothy grin and walked out.

"So, where's Jack and Daniel?" She asked loudly once she was in the corridors following after some SFs.

"Daniel?"

"Daniel Jackson." She answered looking at him, "Oh, he's not here? Do you know where he is?"

"No idea. I was told I'd find you and Colonel O'Neill here. Sammy, I'm glad you're OK. At least it wasn't all for nothing... I think I just destroyed my career." He said while still trying to catch up to her.

"How?"

"Oh, I yelled at the President and accused him of interrogating and torturing you."

"Oh." She said, "That's bad. Did he?"

"What?"

"Was this," she said pointing her hands around, "an authorized op or a rogue one?"

"Rogue, definitely. Sammy, what's wrong you seem..."

"Off? Strange? Hardened? Mature? Not crying like a little girl?"

He frowned, "Yeah..."

"Don't worry dad I'm fine. So, where's Jack?"

"I don't know yet. We're still looking."

"Over here." Someone called.

They approached and found General Hammond in an office. He was alone with a pile of notebooks in front of him. He had been writing. Obviously _not_ held by force.

"Sir!" Carter called with a smile.

"Carter. You're awake? I've asked to see you all countless times, they told me you were in a coma."

"No sir. I was right down the next hall, in a cell I might add. How are you doing?"

"What!?" he called. "Wait, who, why?"

"NID, Sir."

"Oh, they have been, Uh, will be a problem, right? I still haven't made heads or tails of most of the information you guys put in my head, sometimes stuff force their way out, other times I can't get at them even when I try."

"It's because they're not all memories, some of them are _our_ memories from when we had briefings and such. The rest are reports. Text shoved into your head. They... didn't know if that would work for sure, the data might get rejected. You need to calm and focus your mind and let it try and absorb everything."

"Sammy what are you talking about?" Asked her father.

"We'll talk later, dad. Coming sir? We're trying to find Jack."

"Sure thing. Right after I burn all this."

"Nah, have one of the SFs pick it up. We'll sort it all out later. They got busted. The NID were running a rogue op. Like usual."

"OK."

"Is there anything in there about how to activate the gate?" She asked on second thought.

"No, I don't know how it's possible but, _that_ information eludes me entirely."

"Good."

Someone on the opposite side of the building called for a medic over the radio.

"That would be our cue." Said Carter.

"You don't know that Sam."

"Oh, I know it." Was her only answer as she sprinted away.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Fifteen minutes later they were at the door to the Duty Officer's station.

They were ushered in by one of the SFs.

"_And that is your final answer?_" Came the voice over the speakerphone.

"Yes sir, it is." Answered the NID agent.

"_Major, I'm done with this one, hell, I'm done playing cop. Let the bureau figure it out from here. I've already called for them, they should take them out of your hands soon._"

"Sir, they're here." Said the Major.

"_Ahh, bring them in, let's hear them._"

"The President is on the line." Said the young man, "Uhh, just say your name I guess?" He whispered.

"Sir, General Hammond here."

"General Jacob Carter."

"General Samantha Carter."

"General Jack O'Neill, two Ls, Sir, what's going on?"

"_Oh, you know, apart from me having to play investigator, my staff stabbing me in the back and an alien invasion. Everything's fine._" He skipped over the last two 'General' bits.

"Peachy." Said Jack, groaning from one of the injuries.

"_Your voice is identical to the one that visited me, but you don't sound well. I hear there was torture involved?_"

"Yeah, it's nothing, I'm fine."

"He's not fine. He's all blue in the abdomen and below." Said Carter. "You didn't have to provoke them so much Jack."

"_As much as that is infuriating. You're not out of the woods yet._"

"As in?" Jack asked.

"_Ahm, many of my staff keep insisting that we don't really know what effect, whatever they did to you, will have. Or if you're even human any more, or if you ever were Human to begin with. Or... Well, you're to be kept on base for now. You can have limited visitors and limited freedom around the base. Not necessarily jailed but certainly __**detained**__, is that clear?_"

"Crystal." Answered Jack, shrugging. "Can we at least go to Cheyenne? They got much better digs there. Better infirmary too." He said as he winced.

"No, we should stay far away from the gate. So we don't risk losing the second challenge." Carter said.

"There is that." He agreed.

"What _is_ the second challenge?" Asked a curious Jacob Carter.

"_How do you know about the challenges?_" The President countered.

"Oh, they told us before sending us down. Or something, I don't know how; I just know." Jack said.

"Could have been a pure data copy into our imprints." Carter suggested.

"Sammy, what is going on here?" Jacob Carter cut in.

"Later, dad."

"No, now looks fine to me. You're talking crazy!"

"Dad!"

"Sammy!"

"Ough, we sent ourselves back in time to fix things, save the planet. Alright?" She said defensively.

"Aaagain!" Quipped Jack.

"Sammy..."

She raised her palm against him to stop him.

"Mr. President, those challenges... Make sure you pay close attention to them. The first one is all up to you and other politicians across the planet. The second one is so... Well, in retrospect, if you already know how to use it, you'll think it _should_ have been _obvious_ to everyone in the first place, but frankly it isn't. Sir, try calling in a few scientists and let them have at it. Some names I'd highly recommend are Dr. Bill Lee, Dr. Rodney McKay, Dr. Nicholas Rush, Dr. Radek Zelenka, Eli Wallace..."

"Eli's still wearing diapers." Jack cut in, "What? It's 1991!" He answered her look with his own.

"Oh, right... Uh, you'll probably want a few egyptiologists, archeologists and linguists too. I don't know who to recommend on that front, Daniel and Catherine would."

"Are you sure this doesn't count as _interfering?"_ O'Neill cut in.

"_Dr. Bill Lee is currently right in front of me._" Said the President offhandedly.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just offering some references... Put them all in a room and threaten to withhold coffee until they figure the damn thing out," she shrugged, "_that'll_ do it. You'll need some software engineers too, try MIT and Caltech. If you don't hold back, in theory, you should be done in... Oh, about a month?"

"Nah, the coffee bit will have them going nuts." Quipped O'Neill rapidly.

"_And in practice?_" Asked the President.

She sighed, "Well, there's going to be bugs in the control software, energy issues, issues with translation... I, don't know sir."

"_Enough, enough. Let's not risk more, I'd rather not be called a cheater, __**if**_ _we decide to go for these... challenges._" He paused, "_So, I gather your suggestion is to figure out how the device works, as soon as possible?_"

"Of course, sir."

"_What does the device do exactly? – __**without**_ _telling me too much._"

"There are thousands of Stargates throughout _this_ galaxy and _others_. Is that a big enough hint for you, Sir?" Answered O'Neill.

"The second and third challenges should already have answered that question for you, sir." Said Carter.

"_The first 'challenge' is going to be impossible I am thinking. There's no way everyone will just go for all __**that**__._" Stated the President after a pause.

"Did you ask any other country what they think about it?" Pointed Carter.

"_Not yet._"

"Well, they are probably still trying to wrap their heads around it too. Give it another day or two."

"_You mean we're not the only ones aware of these challenges?_"

"Of course not, the challenges are for the whole planet, not just the United States... Sir, you don't have to hold hands and sing Kumbayah. The first challenge only requires specifying international organizations that have authority to represent the entire planet, in a diplomatic, military and scientific capacity." She said. "You can do more if you want, _should_ do more, but that's not _required_ by the challenge."

"_That... I'm still not sure anyone could sell that._" He paused, "_How feasible do you think that third challenge is?_"

"Very." Answered O'Neil this time. "We did it the first time around, without any intel and facing something we had **no** clue about. _This_ time we'll be going in knowing what's what."

"_And what about this whole thing? What gives us the __**right**_ _to go and take out an alien leader?_"

"They're _evil_ sir. They use Humans as slaves and the Jaffa for little more than disposable warriors. They pretend to be Gods by using their technology and keeping everyone ignorant of it. They destroy entire civilizations that start giving any sign of technological advancement, so that they don't become a threat later. In short, we really, really do have _every_ right." Offered O'Neill.

"They are a parasitic species, sir. They inhabit Human hosts against their will. And, they _are_ outright evil." Added Carter. "They would not hesitate to burn Earth to a crisp, simply because we have already advanced way too far."

"_I see, that's terrifying._" Said the President, "_And the fourth? What's your input about that one?_"

"I thought about that, it is a tall order, but... It doesn't specifically say we have to take out each and every one of them with our own bare hands does it?" Asked O'Neill.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we won't be alone. We'll have help. The Asgard, the rebel Jaffa, the Tok'ra and probably others. They'll all pitch in, one way or another. Once the Jaffa start killing their own false gods, it will become an unstoppable domino effect."

"_Won't that makes us lose the challenge?_"

"No, Sir. I clearly remember that the challenge specifies we do not have to carry all the burden on our own. We do have to at least start a course of events that will lead to it though." Answered Carter.

"_And, then what?_"

"Then we teach the Jaffa how to farm and grow their own food. No joke, sir, **that** is going to be the hardest part of _everything_." Answered O'Neill.

"_Come again?_" Asked another voice over the phone.

"The Jaffa are warriors, they are only allowed very limited understanding of technology so that the Goa'uld can continue to pretend to be their _gods._ At the moment, the Jaffa society basically relies on human slaves to grow their food." Sam said.

"_And the challenge says we have to help them? Why?_" Asked the same voice.

"'Cause they're slaves too, as much as the Humans are. They just don't know they are. They don't _know_ any other way. They are warriors. Prideful, stubborn, arrogant warriors. They have a strong sense of honor and a weak sense of humor. But, some of them do desire to be free of the Goa'uld. They _were_ our allies in our time." Said O'Neill.

"Sirs," Carter cut in, "we can't help you with the gate, but we _can_ help you with everything else."

"_What do you mean?_"

"We should start researching defenses and start planning for _when_ we'll be ready to build ships."

"_Ships?_" The President paused, "_As in Space Ships?_"

"Sir, I am, was, one of the lead scientists..."

"Nonsense, Sir, she's the _**top**_ scientist, a Genius! Her brain is a national treasure. She can design and build us a ship all on her own, amongst other things." O'Neill interrupted.

To which Carter blushed a little bit.

"There are still many materials and technologies we will need to acquire _first_ before being able to start doing that! And I can't possibly design and build everything, from scratch, on my own!" She argued.

"Never too early to start _planning_ though, is it Carter?"

"Any word from Daniel?" She diverted attention from herself.

"_We have not located him yet._"

"He's probably in an archeological dig, somewhere remote, start looking at those. Probably in Egypt somewhere." She offered.

"We will keep looking." He assured them, "_General Carter._" Called the President.

"Sir." Both Carters said at the same time.

"_I meant Jacob._" Said the President awkwardly, "_I want you to stay there for now, you may have to head back to the Middle east in about a week or two if we start pulling out the troops. Until then, stay there. And I want a full report on Jack O'Neill, George Hammond and Uh, your daughter._" He said apologetically.

Jacob Carter did frown and was about to say something, that was sure to bury his career further, when O'Neill broke in.

"About that Iraq thing. Are you sure you want to pull out this soon?"

"_We did what we set out to do..._" Offered the President, he had had to defend this point with his own staff also. He did not think further action would have merit, just more cost.

"Okay, fine, pull the troops out. But, while you do there's one more thing."

"_And what is that?_"

"Saddam." He said, "Take him down."

"_Easier said than done. The man's a ghost._" Said someone over the phone.

"You will regret not doing it if you do not do it now." Offered O'Neill as an explanation. "Future Presidents will regret it even more."

"_Further action in Iraq will have __**us**_ _look like the bad guys, not to mention the cost._" The President defended his standing argument. Then he paused, "_Future Presidents?_"

"Jack! We shouldn't tell them that stuff." Sam said.

"Why not?"

"It could impair their freedom of choice if they knew how it was in our time, they might think it's supposed to be that way and then they just stand back and let things happen exactly that way, just because it happened before, it would not..."

"Carter!"

"Just no names of who's who in the future and nothing but very vague descriptions of geopolitical events; no specific details whatsoever."

"Right, OK." He shrugged, "Sir, you don't have to go full on. Send a small strike team to do the job." Jack said.

"_Is that your suggestion also Ms. Carter?_" Asked someone over the phone, his grin could be _felt_ over the line. He was someone that had been pushing for that same action.

"Oh, I'd go with a bunker penetrating bomb on his shelter, but, sure."

The President sighed, "_Why? What does he do?_"

"Other than being a Hitler wannabe?" Asked O'Neill, "Do you need a better reason?"

"_Some of my staff have been pushing for a permanent solution also, I've been holding it back. Enough about that, the ball is in our court. We'll look into it. Let General Carter know what you need and sit tight, while the rest of us try to figure out what the hell is going on and what it means for Earth._" He paused, "_General, Uh, Jacob. You liaise with them for the mean time. Your orders are to keep __**them **__safe, on one hand, but keep __**us**_ _safer from __**them**__. Just in case they're really __**not **__who they say they are. I'll send someone to take over soon. And General?_"

"Sir."

"_I have a long memory._" And he hung up.

Jacob sighed. There goes his career.

"Now what?" Asked Hammond.

"Now, we hurry up and wait." Answered O'Neill.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**TV**

"...They have visited us before. One of them is the father of my son! Michael, sweetie, come back I miss you..."

*click*

"...said in an interview today, that _quote _the demands the western imperial aliens have made are unreasonable and that they should stay on their own damn planet _end quote. _How aliens can be Western is beyond me..."

*click*

"...They are reptilians, they _pretend_ to be human so they can infiltrate our government and then take us over from the inside..."

*click*

"...The _Lord_ has spoken! His _angels_ have come to deliver us from evil! Repent Sinners! Welcome the angels into your heart..."

*click*

"...I am an alien as well, I come from Jupiter, with a message of peace to Earth..."

*click*

"...These **demons** are here to tempt us into sin! They aim to steal our very **souls**! We will not fall for their treachery. They **must** be destroyed!..."

*click*

"...An emergency closed-doors meeting of the United Nations is still in session since yesterday, where they are discussing the ramifications of the challenges the visitors..."

*click*

"...The government has been hiding the existence of aliens from us all this time, they have made alliances with..."

*click*

"...They are not aliens! Look at the design of these vessels, they are obviously man-made, right here on Earth! And the pilots are Human too as you can see..."

*click*

"...We have learned these aliens visited all of the world's governments and submitted the same challenges to them. The challenges speak of a device capable of traveling across the galaxy..."

*click*

_-+o+-_

_A/N: Coming up next... Bewilderment._

_A call to my readers, please give me a few suggestions for 'suitable' names you think Sam, Jack and Daniel's many 'copies' could have picked... (and no, this isn't a spoiler, if you haven't figured that there are copies, then you need coffee...)_

_Many thanks to my last remaining beta reader, Seraphin... If you're interested in assisting on that front, please give me a call. Skills that would be good: Ability to spot the rare few typos I skip over. Ability to fill-in the forgotten words I sometimes leave out. Bonus points for an ability to spot plot holes and... An appetite in reading Stargate fanfiction ;)_

_Please review to feed my muse._

_Posted on 2012-09-15_


	5. Chapter 05, Bewildered

**Notice:** I do not own Stargate... yadda yadda yadda

**Contact info:** Find me on FanFiction

**Stargate: Do Over**

Previously:

Mr. Anderson answered that one, "It all started when the replicators re-emerged and the originals of our lines Ascended..."

**Chapter 05, Bewildered.**

**Aboard the Santa Maria, conference room.**

"Your people were long dead before that. You committed an act of mass suicide, after a final failed attempt at repairing your genetic degradation caused a rapid fatal disease. You gave up hope." Jules paused, "The Ori were at the time attacking everyone and everything. You decided to destroy all instances of your technology so that it did not fall into the wrong hands. All except what you put on our ship, the Odyssey, was destroyed." He said. "You proclaimed us, the Humans of Earth, the Fifth Race and charged us with the protection of your legacy and the planets under your care; and then..."

They all allowed a silent moment after that.

"Without that technology, Earth would probably not have made it much longer. They eventually learned of a weapon, the Sangraal, looked for it... found it and used it to kill the Ori. Then there was the Ark..." he paused, "All that, is detailed in the tablets before you. Everything from the time we first reopened the gate on Earth, the Goa'uld, their demise, the replicators, their first demise, the Ori, their demise, the Wraith... well those were still around when the replicators came back. We have plenty of time inside the time dilation field for you to study the material, we can be here for a few days and only seconds will have passed outside. So let's skip to the good parts.

"Years later, I... Err, Daniel Jackson was on a diplomatic mission to Hebridan. The replicators resurfaced that day. They attacked, killed him and he Ascended... _again_." Said Jules.

"We; Samantha Carter and Jack O'Neill were on a shake down cruise of the Odyssey after a refit and upgrade with some more of your technology that we implemented." Said Sophie, "The replicators attacked several planets at the same time. Earth, Cimmeria, Dakara, Orban, Hebridan, Langara and many others. They didn't know about that detail until later. They only knew that Earth was teeming with replicators. The Odyssey had a copy of the entire Asgard database aboard. The other two copies of your database on Earth were destroyed with the self destruct of the facilities housing them."

Mr. Anderson cut in, "They were ordered to head to Dakara and contact the Jaffa High council. But, once it became apparent _that_ option was no longer available, they were ordered to leave, head to Atlantis, warn them of the possibility the replicators might learn about it from Earth and inform them that Earth... the Galaxy, was lost." He paused, "They did try to make a few stops along the way to warn friends, but wherever they looked there were more replicators."

"They eventually reached Atlantis, but a day later the replicators showed up en masse." Samantha continued. "In short, everyone died, sooner or later."

Everyone stayed silent for a moment.

"Daniel had followed and he was able to help Sam and Jack ascend. They tried to help everyone else too, but were stopped by the Others. They did however manage to absorb all the information from the Asgard database on the Odyssey and from Atlantis' database; and every other piece of information there was in the neighborhood, let's just call that the Human Database. Apparently they can do that, don't ask me how... After a long while the trio was sick of watching both the Milky Way and the Pegasus be further entrenched by replicators. So, they decided to leave."

"That's when the strange parts of our story start happening." Sophie cut in. "They decided to go as far away from home as possible. The other Ascended were watching them, stopping them from interfering with the lower plane. They were hoping to manage to go so far away that they would no longer have watchers."

"The Ascended perceive the universe differently. While we, for the most part, normally only perceive three spatial dimensions plus the passage of time or space-time as we like to call it; They can perceive and interact with more... dimensions for lack of a better word. However, distance is still distance whichever way you perceive it. But, traveling long distances is easier for the Ascended. For instance travel between nearby star systems is... Well, to give you a metaphor, think of a human jumping over a puddle. Travel between nearby galaxies is harder even for the Ascended, to continue the metaphor, it is like a human swimming across a very big lake. Doable but tiresome. But there are shortcuts, the Stargates and... other things." said Mr. Anderson.

Sophie continued, "They wanted to go somewhere where the Ascended would not be bothered to follow. And they had an idea of exactly where and how to get there." She paused. "**Destiny**. Destiny is a ship launched by the Alterans millions of years ago. She was in a very distant galaxy. To continue with the same metaphor, getting there without a shortcut, would be like a human swimming across a vast ocean, for eons, with no end in sight."

"So, they waited until they managed to shake their tail and then used a stargate, one that was next to a black hole, to dial Destiny. They needed the black hole nearby as an energy source. Then they went through the gate." Jules said.

"We do not know what happened there. They categorically did not want to tell us. What we _do_ know is, that several years later they were back in the Milky Way galaxy, in possession of at least one additional database, that of Destiny. And that they were _completely_ alone. No other beings, Ascended or otherwise, were there, or _anywhere._ When they created us, they sent us to look for Ascended beings in all surrounding galaxies as well as a few more distant ones we could travel to, we found a few sentient species far away, but we detected no sign of Ascended." Chloe finished.

"Just more evidence the replicators had been there." Added Mr. Anderson.

They paused to let that set in. The Asgard were horrified to listen that without intervention, not only were _they_ going to die, but it sounded like the _entire_ Local Galactic Group was going to become a wasteland taken over by the replicators! Everyone would die. Possibly even the Ascended Ancients. This, even Kvasir thought should be prevented.

"What happened?" Asked Aegir.

"Before creating us. They reprogrammed the replicators. All replicators, from all the galaxies they could find them in. And gathered them all in the void near the Milky Way galaxy." Answered Mr. Anderson.

"The replicators had gotten very advanced by this time. They had assimilated knowledge from countless civilizations across several galaxies. And now, Sam, Jack and Daniel had all the knowledge of the Asgard, the Alterans and that acquired by the replicators at their disposal not to mention being Ascended in the first place... And, with that all, they started building." Said Jules.

"They built an enormously gigantic device, the size and mass were so big they had to construct it in the intergalactic void. Within it, they created the pocket universe." Sophie continued. "And with _that,_ they built everything else. Using it as a power source, they made certain that every last particle in everything they built was created from energy coming from that pocket universe. That process took many years... During that time they sent _us_ to investigate all galaxies within reach. After that they did whatever it was they did with the universes. And when they were ready, they sent us all back to the past."

She asked them after a pause, "Do you have records of a relatively small black hole recently... disappearing from the far edges of the Milky Way?"

"We do not." Answered Penegal after looking at each of the others. "We have not been able to explore the galaxies recently due to the replicators."

"Just over two decades ago, the mass of a small black hole was swapped with our mass. They wanted to make it so that no extra mass was added to this universe. So, they balanced the mass coming in with the mass they removed. We do not know if they arbitrarily chose to use a black hole, or if they had to do so for other reasons. Or even if the size of it mattered." She paused, "Of course, the combined mass of our entire fleet, could not possibly equal the mass of a black hole! Not even close." She said cryptically and with a grin.

"But we will brag about _that_ more when we show you our home. For now, do you have any questions?" Said Mr. Anderson.

Kvasir obviously had many but Penegal cut in, "Why the need for such extreme security measures?"

All three of the Asurans showed clear signs of being uncomfortable.

"Uh," Sophie took the lead. "We don't want the Ascended to stop us."

"Remember when we said that **all** the Ascended were _gone?_" Mr. Anderson asked.

"Indeed, should we not try to warn them?" Asked Kvasir.

The three winced at that.

"We fear they would destroy us." Jules said.

"Their highest law is to not interfere with the lower planes. If they find out about us, our whole story, they may consider us to _be_ such interference. Which we are, since we _were_ created by Ascended beings." Sophie said.

"And that's not all." Jules continued. "They told us the Ascended from our neck of the woods left. Went to a far away galaxy near Destiny's location where other, friendly, Ascended beings existed, leaving behind the three 'unruly' ones as they called themselves. But then they sent us to look for any sign of them..."

"That, simply, does not fit." Mr. Anderson said, "They said, that the older Ascended could not stand watching everything be destroyed again so, they gave up and moved on. We do not believe that to be the case."

"We think they lied and that there's a simpler and more plausible explanation, one that is far worse. _We_ think they, our originals... killed the others." Said Jules.

Everyone paused at that information. Now three of the four Asgard were the ones showing clear signs of being uncomfortable.

"And there you have it, _our_ most guarded, most embarrassing, most terrible secret." Mr. Anderson said.

Thor spoke, "Plausible..." he blinked, "Why do you believe they lied to you? Why not just tell you the truth?"

"Shame, guilt..."

Thor nodded, agreeing. He relaxed, he considered the matter closed. Any Asgard would recognize the body language, and they did.

The other three Asgard were surprised by Thor's behavior. How he so quickly accepted such an amazing story and such a horrible revelation for the death of the Ascended.

"You should consider that they sent you back in time, so that you could make it so the Ascended survive... Hmm, What are your directives?" Thor asked surprising the others again.

Jules glanced at the others, they all were surprised and took a moment to respond.

"We don't have directives per se. More like suggested courses of action they gave us. We have decided our top objective will always be to defend Earth. A little selfish perhaps, but understandable." Jules said, "Second, to completely remove the threat of the Replicators and third, to help the Asgard live on. There are also some other matters we wish to pursue when the time is appropriate."

"You have a solution for us." Thor said.

"We have a few, for you to choose from. I hope you will have by now guessed one or two of the possible solutions. We have a purely genetic one as well."

The other three Asgard just sat and watched the exchange.

"And then?" Thor asked.

"We assist the people of Earth, uplift them technologically, to an extent, so that they themselves can overthrow the Goa'uld from our galaxy. It will be their rite of passage. Then, later, we will be more involved, we will join them in the fight against the Wraith. After that, only time will tell."

"What about the Ascended?" Thor asked.

"We intend to avoid them. As much as possible. All of our ships have a special repelling field around them, the Ascended find it... difficult to cross. If they find out who and what we are, they will most likely try to destroy us and Earth. If they do try, well... I'm sorry, but we _will_ defend ourselves."

Thor bowed slightly. He picked up the tablet off the table, stood up and walked towards one of the smaller tables further away form the main conference table. The other three Asgard looked at him in wonder. They were not accustomed to such deep interference with less advanced civilizations, but Thor seemed _agreeable_ to it. Moreover, the Asurans claimed they could and would _defend_ _themselves_ from the Ascended if they chose to be belligerent against them. _That_ was horrifying.

Thor turned around before sitting. "One more thing," Thor said, "last time I was here, there was... another one, I might have imagined it, I am not certain. It might have been some side-effect of..." He said looking at Jules.

"Oh, no you didn't imagine him my friend." Mr. Anderson cut in, "Hey, Thor! Are you listening in?" He asked looking up to the ceiling.

A hologram, of Thor, appeared in the room. "Indeed I am. You and I have much to discuss." Thor said to his younger self.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**A week later**

**2 light years away from Abydos**

A hyperspace window opened and from it exited Osiris' Archaic Tel'tak.

Daniel was awakened by the lurch. He got up, "That can't be good." He said to himself and walked the few feet to the controls. He checked his wristwatch. He looked at the ship's control screen showing his current location, he checked his wristwatch again. "Damn it. Just needed another day, at most..."

A noise caught his attention, he turned and saw...

The man snorted. "You're an idiot." Said Leo, an Asuran of Daniel's line.

"You're not going to stop me." Said Daniel defensively, postured with his arms across his chest.

Leo shrugged, "Oh, please, do I look like I'm stopping you?"

They stared at each other.

"I'm Leo by the way."

"Well, _Leo_, I appear to be stuck. Did you tamper with the hyperdrive?"

"Oh no, I did nothing of the sort."

"Good." He said turning back to the console. He wanted to fix it and continue to his destination as soon as possible and go find Sha're.

"Of course there's the small matter of what it is you think you're doing out here." Leo said.

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me you _don't_ know?"

"Oh, I know, I just want to hear _you_ say it."

"Sha're, of course. I'm going to find Sha're!"

"And then what?"

"Then, we leave with this ship."

"Apart from the obvious lack of food and water, this tub is in serious need of repair."

"We'll get provisions from the planet... and I'll fix it, how hard can it be? I've looked over Sam's shoulder for years. I've learned a thing or two. Not to mention the technology on this ship seems... simpler."

"Hmm, alright."

A silent moment passed.

"You sure she'll want to come?" Leo asked.

"Of course she will!"

"Because?"

"Because. I..." Daniel paused, "Well, she will."

"Ah! It will be a kidnapping then?"

"No!"

"Then what?" Leo asked.

Daniel stayed silent.

"Daniel, you've spent a year with Sha're. You loved her, she loved you. But that's not the Sha're _you_ know on Abydos right now. More importantly, she's not the Sha're that knows _you._"

"She'll get to know me, we..."

"Nonsense." Leo cut in, "You'll waltz in and terrify her."

"Why would I do _that?_"

Leo, raised an eyebrow and pointed around the room. "First of all you're in a ship."

Daniel shrugged, "So?"

"And secondly, you're not the young scared archeologist that sneezes a lot and lacks confidence."

"Are you," Daniel sneezed mid-sentence, "going to stop me?"

"Could have been wrong about the sneezing part." Leo said with a grin, "No, by all means, go ahead, destroy any chance you could ever have with her."

"Is there something you know that I don't?"

"The list of things I know that you do not is immense, be more specific."

"Cut the crap. I know you, you know me, tell me what you're not telling me."

Leo sighed, "One, your hyperdrive is off line and two, at the moment, she's got a... friend."

"What? How could this happen! What did you do!" Daniel demanded.

"Hey now, I did _not_ touch the hyperdrive. As for Sha're, were _you_ celibate all your life before meeting her? Hmm?"

Daniel paused for a second then exploded. "DAMN IT!"

"Did the Abydonians ever indicate to you they are cold-blooded?" Leo pushed.

"Damn it!" He repeated.

"They're humans, same as you. They have fun, same as you."

Daniel deflated, "Damn..."

A long moment passed while Daniel was brooding.

"So, now what?" Leo asked.

"I could still..."

Leo cut him off. "Bad idea."

Daniel sighed. "Can't I just..."

"Worse idea. You know, we've observed them together, they're good, for now. Definitely not going to break up just because _you_ showed up."

"What, you can read minds now?"

"No, but I know exactly what I would think."

"So, now what?" Daniel asked this time.

"It's up to you."

"First I need to fix the hyperdrive." Daniel said with a long face.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Several hours later, Daniel managed to haphazardly repair the hyperdrive.

Leo was still there, hovering, and definitely not helping.

"Hey, how do you know she's still seeing him, do you have her under surveillance?"

No answer.

"Now that we're years before the original timeline, do you think we will be able to repair the structure in Heliopolis before it collapses?"

No answer.

"Do pigs fly?"

No answer.

"The Tollans' original planet is still not destroyed yet you know... We could warn them."

Again no answer. Daniel gave up trying to glean information out of his alter ego and went to the control console.

Daniel sat thinking for a long while. Leo had joined him, quietly standing back and looking.

The hyperdrive was fixed, although it would not reach its 'top speed', it would suffice.

Daniel made up his mind. "No." He said.

"No what?"

"I'm not turning back, I'm not quitting." Daniel said.

"Daniel..."

"No, I'm going to Abydos and finding Sha're. And that's final!" Daniel stated.

"You're ruining everything you know. We planned for everything, but you... We did not account for _you_ doing something _this_ crazy on your own."

"Well, you should have known better. Why didn't you just remove the ship anyways?"

"It was supposed to be a _golden egg_, so to speak. If you guys put your minds together you would remember this piece of junk was hidden there..."

"But then we'd have a ship before the others figured out the stargate, wouldn't we?"

"Maybe, depends on Sam. The Carters think she would consider it and then convince you to keep it hidden at least until the first challenge was complete."

"The Carters?"

"Her line of copies. Besides, there's nothing in this tub she cannot recreate on her own, eventually."

Daniel shrugged it off, he'd heard and seen weirder things. "So, now I've ruined your plans?"

"I'm not here to tell you what to do..."

"I can't go back, not without Sha're."

"It would be difficult to explain her presence."

"Not if I reveal the ship."

"Indeed." Leo concluded.

"Which you say Sam would rather we didn't, yet."

"Most likely."

"So, now what?" Daniel asked again.

"What do you want to do?"

"What condition is this ship in anyways?"

"You were just repairing it were you not?" Leo asked.

"I know Osiris used it to escape, so I'm assuming it's not in too bad a shape."

They both stayed quiet for a long moment.

"You didn't tag along all the way from Earth in _this_ ship, it is too small, we would have bumped into each other already." Daniel said.

Leo just raised an eyebrow.

"Well, either way, start helping or get out.

"What?"

"You have a ship out there." Daniel said, it was not a question.

Leo didn't respond.

"I'm going to Abydos, I'll find Sha're. Then, as soon as we can we're leaving for Heliopolis."

"You are nuts. You know that?" Leo said.

"Says you to yourself." Daniel jibed.

Leo snorted. He shook his head. "This tub is really in need of a refit. So, I'd be much more comfortable if you came aboard my ship, and we tow this one back to Earth. The trip will only take a minute or two, instead of several days. Then what you decide to do is up to you. Alright?"

"Mhmm. Here's a thought, we go to your ship, and then go to Abydos."

Leo stayed silent.

"Alright then, leave me alone. I'm continuing with or without you." Daniel said.

Leo sighed. "But..."

"No."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Fine." Leo said sighing.

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Leo asked.

Daniel was the one giving him the silent treatment now.

"Fine! I'll help you. But you better make absolutely sure you don't screw things up with Sha're. We'll all collectively kick your ass if you mess it up."

"I'll figure something... You know, you're very difficult to work with." Daniel said.

"Yeah, yeah, pack up, we're leaving. And we're definitely not going inside this tub."

**June 3rd, 1991.**

**Mediterranean Sea.**

The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise was heading for Egypt's coast to 'relieve tensions'. Its mission, simply to show its presence. It is well known, when a super-carrier shows up, the nearby nations get antsy, sometimes in a bad way, but most often diplomacy is suddenly _remembered_. This is the effect they were hoping for this time as well, hopefully it would do the trick and matters in Egypt would _not_ escalate.

The widespread release of the 'challenges' had brought forward a myriad of new global issues; but increased tensions in this area in particular. Some wanted all the ancient Egyptian monuments torn down. Others wanted to start digging _everywhere_ to find more of them and consequently more information about the Goa'uld of the past. And yet others, wanted to welcome their 'old gods' back!

'They better sort themselves out, sooner rather than later.' Captain Roper, CO of the Carrier thought.

He and the top executive officers were in a meeting being briefed on latest world news. Something weird was brewing in the Soviet Union, no one knew what exactly and that made everyone itchy. In a weird act of what everyone thought was a step backwards, the Baltic states had stopped and reversed their position of wanting independence from the Soviet Union. Undoing what they had, de facto, earned already.

The briefing was cut short, when battle stations were called.

Everyone sprinted to their posts.

By the two minutes it took the Captain to reach the C&C, pandemonium became awe. In another few minutes, it spread. Everyone that could, was up on the deck watching the view of the enormous ship hovering above them. Then it broke out to cheering.

The view was amazing. The white ship was lazily 'rocking' its... well it didn't have wings per se, more like rocking its saucer. Signaling in the international aircraft pilot-tongue, 'Hello'.

The massive sized ship was recognized by _everyone_, it was none other than the Enterprise NCC-1701, from the first TV series of Star Trek. It was huge! More than twice the size of the carrier.

A hologram flashed to existence in the C&C right in front of the Captain. "Holy..." he halted himself, keeping his composure.

"Howdy." The hologram of an Asuran of the Jack O'Neill line said. "I'm Kirk."

"Kirk." The Captain said. "I thought your name was Bond." He had seen CCTV captures of the hologram from the White House.

"No that was another one."

The Captain licked his lips, pausing to think. What _did_ he know about the visitors?

"Kirk? As in Captain James T. Kirk?" Someone asked.

"Yeah..." He shrugged.

"What do you want?" The Captain asked, putting up a hand to stop some marines that were charging into the C&C.

"Same as you, we heard that wherever the Enterprise goes, diplomacy follows, well... that or bombs. People often choose diplomacy I hear."

"And?"

"Well, we wanted to test that."

"That saying was referring to _this_ Enterprise." Offered the Captain.

The hologram just shrugged.

Silence followed for a few moments in the C&C, the cheering and hooting from outside could be clearly heard.

A young lieutenant, a Sci-Fi fan, got brave enough to speak. "You built the Enterprise NCC-1701, from the TV..."

"Beautiful isn't she?" Kirk cut in, not letting him finish the question.

The truth was the view was a holographic impression covering the real ship underneath. The Enterprise design of the first Star Trek TV Series was too structurally unsound to consider building due to the two nacelles and bulbous engineering parts with the interconnecting strips between them. The future version, NCC-1701-E was a more sound design, but that would not be on the movie screens for many years to come. Perhaps never now, due to the changes in the timeline.

The NCC-1701-D version was borderline, it was actually build-able, it would have one or two quite obvious structural weak-spots that extra shielding would have to compensate. As it happened, the Asuran by the name of Picard was nowhere nearby at the moment, or _that_ version of the Enterprise could have been shown here today.

The real ship underneath the hologram was still impressive, but a design no one on Earth would recognize, yet. So they chose to perform this little _mirage_.

No one else said anything.

"Alright then, I'm off to take a trip around the globe with the Enterprise... I just wanted to drop by and say hi to our sea-faring cousins."

The Captain wanted to say _something_ but didn't get the chance to articulate himself as the hologram winked out. The flying ship slowly moved off.

"Well that was interesting." The same young lieutenant said.

"Interesting? _**Interesting?!**_ The _first_ time they showed up three months ago, the result was near-apocalypse!" He sighed, "What will the damage be _this_ time...?" He asked the room.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**July, 1991**

Unbelievable events were happening in and around the Soviet Union. Instead of crumbling like it was supposed to, their _client_ _states_ and some of the previous _satellite_ _states_ were in the process of strengthening their relations, alliances and/or allegiances with them. The Baltic states were already back under Soviet control. Moreover, in a surprise display of non-Soviet thought, they all were expressly allowed to keep much of their 'earned' independence. Self-governance under a Federalized Republic-style system was being developed. The Soviets even publicly announced they would permit any style of local government and administration, Communistic, Socialistic or _otherwise,_ to exist in those states. Though many of the Soviet leadership did show disdain about that. In a smart move, they had also loosened or otherwise changed the strict control they had on other states that were still under the Soviet umbrella. As an aside, it was casually mentioned the Soviet Union would be changing its name.

The driving force of all this was the knowledge about aliens. No one wanted to be left hanging. The smaller nations were looking at the bigger ones, for assuring their survival in a world where aliens exist.

In Mozambique, a country where the Soviets have had considerable influence, the civil war ceased after quick talks with Soviet representatives. Enormous concessions were made and the Country was now in the road of joining the Soviet Union under a 'special consideration' status. Nearby, Ethiopia was also expressing interest.

As the Americans watched, the Soviets were sending delegation after delegation to other countries and begun high level talks. The American's counter-response was to do the same, to make new alliances and strengthen their old ones. It was a new form of warfare, a 'War of the Pen' as it was being called. Treaties and alliances were being developed swiftly.

The Chinese ideology had long ago moved away from Russian-style Communism and they even considered the Soviets potential future enemies, so they stood apart from them. For the Western Imperials they had an even lower opinion of. So they stood on their own, ignoring both of their delegations, for now.

The Europeans, still a long way from formalizing the EU, were speeding things up and pushing for modifications in their union in a way that created a more proactive central leadership. They too, individually were spooked and were looking for strength in numbers.

All those events had another driving force behind them, the first challenge. Even though nobody had _officially_ attested to that effect.

A footnote in history would also show that Seth's 'followers' from the ranch in Washington state, were returned home sometime during this month. Safe and unharmed.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**October 30th, 1991**

A large nuclear explosion rocked the Arctic in a remote island of Northern Russia.

Ten seconds later hundreds of ships around the world decloaked. From the small and large version 'puddle jumpers' to much larger vessels never before seen.

Ten seconds after that those ships turned off whatever they were using to block radars from detecting them.

Ten seconds after that hundreds more ships decloaked in low and high orbit. Soon they too started registering on various orbiting satellites.

Before many of the world's military could even register the activity, the Asurans were on high alert already and showing teeth.

The U.S. President was sitting alone in his office finishing up with some reports before heading to a state dinner. Another in a string of many in the past few weeks, where international delegations were having many official and unofficial _talks._

Someone burst into the office but before he could say anything, a column of sparkly blue light appeared and in it a bright flash of white light deposited an Asuran, James Bond.

Without giving them even a second to compose themselves, he loudly asked.

"Did you by any chance just nuke the Soviets?"

The President frowned, he was about to speak when the aide rapidly cut in.

"Sir, there are dozens of contacts registering on radar all over the country. Their ships, we think." He said pointing at the intruder. The aide thought that regardless of whatever _was_ going on, he _needed_ to relate this information to the President before anything was said. He walked in front of the intruder to 'block' his access to the President.

James did not flinch, he physically moved the man aside with one hand, surprising the President who thought he was another hologram and he repeated his question, "Did. You. Just. Nuke. The. Soviets?"

"No." The President answered with a hint of uncertainly.

"Good." James said, he looked up momentarily.

"What is going on? What happened?" Asked the President.

Asuran ships were already converging towards the center of the blast zone, doing what they could to negate the effects of fallout and the debris that were still being propelled upwards.

The blast wave was still traveling, some ships were trying to stop that too. But they would not be able to stop most of it or the unsettling it would cause to the weather on a global scale. What's worse, the blast was followed with some widespread tectonic activity. For now it was relatively weak, but that could change.

All this information was being relayed to James right now. Normally such 'links' were turned off, but due to the high alert nature of the event, several were 'connected' to one another.

"Remember what I said about not blowing the planet up?"

"Yes..."

"Well, I think the Soviets didn't catch our meaning." He looked upwards again.

The Asuran representative sent to meet with Gorbachev gave the confirmation of what they suspected. It was _good_ news considering the alternative.

James sighed. "Damn it... What are they trying to do? Cause another Krakatoa?"

The President gulped, "What the _hell_ happened?" He repeated the question.

"The Russians run a nuclear weapons test. A BIG one. Too damn big."

"How big?"

James blinked, "Over a hundred at least."

"M-Megatons?" The President asked in awe.

James nodded. "Time to cut through all the red tape. You guys need to have a talk before you blow up this planet. Be ready for pick-up in five minutes, you can have one assistant come with."

And with that, James beamed out.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Three minutes later the President was mentally preparing himself, for whatever was to follow. Many had suggested against going to this impromptu meeting the Asurans were calling, but once it was pointed out that they could probably 'beam' the President out, they laid that option to rest.

All the militaries of the world were on high alert due to the blatant display the Asurans were making. Those nations that were space-capable were even more worried when they detected the orbiting fleet.

Someone answered a phone call, hang up and then went to the TV in the room. He turned it on and started changing channels. They all had the _same_ signal. An assembly/conference styled room. The camera was lazily panning. The room was quite large, but only a few of the 'seats' were prepared with mini flags of the nations and nameplates of the expected representative. Any nation with twenty million or more people was to be represented.

"Ahm, Paul, take a look at this." He said.

"What?"

"It's on all channels."

"All channels..." Paul muttered, "Oh man, Hey! The meeting. They're going to televise it live! Look!" He said loudly for everyone to notice.

Everyone expressed awe at the same time when the camera panned to the left side and showed what was outside of a large wall to wall window.

"I don't think they're sending a car." Said the President, as the Earth stood beyond that window.

_-+o+-_

_A/N: Up next... Kawoosh!_

_The 'Others' is how Daniel, while ascended, called the Ascended that guard/stop any interference with the lower planes._

_October 30th was also the date the Russians tested the Tsar Bomba... look it up on Wikipedia._

_Many thanks to my Beta readers._

_Please review to feed my muse._

_Posted on 2012-09-23_


	6. Chapter 06, Stargate

**Notice:** I do not own Stargate... yadda yadda yadda

**Contact info:** Find me on FanFiction

**Stargate: Do Over**

**Chapter 06, Stargate.**

The meeting in October had some interesting results.

The Soviets proclaimed the weapon's development was intended for Planetary defense against alien spaceships. As _proof_ of that, they pointed out how the blast's energy was expelled outside the atmosphere. As much of the energy punctured up and through it. Something smaller nukes did not do, making this bomb 'obviously' useless for any other use.

The Asurans summarily told the nuclear armed powers that their nukes were, for the most part, _worthless_ against alien ships, due to shields and that their continued testing on the planet would only cause damage to the Earth itself. They were told the damage caused by the approximately 109Mt (Megaton) blast was immense and that the Asuran fleet was trying to do its best to limit its effects, but would be unable to repair much of the damage. That earned the Soviets quite a bit of bad rep.

Following that, they were all scolded for dragging their feet in respect to the first challenge. Everyone present found extreme offense in that, they were certainly _not_ dragging their feet! Furthermore most of the world's nations had not made _any_ official declarations about the challenges.

The most surprising thing that happened, happened during one of the breaks. Ramaswamy Venkataraman, the Indian Prime Minister and Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese President, had a little talk while looking at their home planet via the large window. They reached an agreement, one which shook everyone else.

The Indian Prime Minister made the announcement to the group of world leaders, on behalf of both of them - the Chinese leader indicating his assent with a nod – that India and China represented over two billion people out of a global estimate of around five billion total. As such, if there was to be an attempt at completing the first challenge, they would not be dictated terms. On the contrary, _they_ would be the ones doing any dictating.

The first challenge spoke only of population representation, not of economical strength, military prowess or technological superiority. Something the two leaders took to heart.

That announcement lit a flame on everyone else's trousers.

It also finally made it clear that almost every nation _was_ indeed interested in attempting these challenges.

Every represented nation that had not previously been allowed access to the research surrounding the Stargate, now demanded it. And demanded their own scientists try their hand at making it work.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**December 1991**

The Cheyenne Mountain Complex had changed from being one of the most secret and classified bases in the world, to being the host of the most public international endeavor.

Time was running out, nine months had passed and they _still_ had not figured out the Stargate. Not until today.

A few days ago seven-year-old Eli Wallace had drawn some cubes with his markers, with a dot in the center and a line connecting the central dot to another dot outside. He would sneak around the labs and meeting rooms all over the base and leave copies of his drawings. The adult scientists all thought he did not belong there, but the name dropping at the U.S. president's ear had brought even this child in, in the hope he was some kind of kid-genius. No one gave him or his drawing any mind. He was a _kid_ after all!

That was until Dr. Zelenka found one of them inside one of his briefing dossiers, he had no idea how it got there but he had seen a similar childish drawing at least twice before, ignoring it completely both times. This time though, he had an _epiphany_.

The whole of Cheyenne Mountain was a madhouse for days after that.

Just over nine months after _Contact Day_ as they called it, they finally got the Stargate to work. Today was an historic occasion on Earth, the first day that everyone with access to a TV screen watched the wormhole's unstable vortex, _the kawoosh_, burst out of the ring device.

Many of those people would be watching that event happen on the small screen, while holding a newborn baby. Maternity wards the world over were overflowing beyond capacity and would remain so for a while. This was to be the beginning of the _Great Baby Boom,_ one which would surpass the previous one, from WW2, by a very wide margin.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Daniel was still missing. Sam and Jack had thought only two possible scenarios could have happened. Either Daniel had been secreted away somewhere, for interrogation, or Daniel had left Earth somehow and gone to Abydos to be with Sha're. They had been reassured repeatedly that no country had Daniel in their possession. There was a still an ongoing international search for him, with a large reward offered for any information that would lead to finding him.

After his last movements had been tracked they began believing that no one truly knew were he was. Sam and Jack had stopped asking and had even become cryptic on the matter altogether. Since the Asurans had not said anything about Daniel, they suspected he was fine somewhere off-world. They even thought Daniel was the _lucky_ one.

For these past few months Jack had been bored out of his mind. Writing report after report about any planet he'd visited, had gotten old very quickly. Sam had been doing the same. But she had also been doing research, lots and lots of research. _Her_ main agitation had been the need to use supercomputers to do something like a _simple_ simulation, instead of her personal laptop... the one she had custom-built in the _future_ and which would have been faster than most of today's supercomputers.

All those written reports were left incomplete without a stargate address or designation or any information that could be considered cheating for the second challenge. That information was to be added later.

They watched, remotely via a video link, the event of the stargate being activated. When the Monitor showed the kawoosh, they exhaled the breath both were holding.

"Finally!" Jack said, "I was bored to death _three months_ ago! This has been the worst form of torture, ever."

"I am officially on vacation. Let _them_ go find some _real_ computers out there first. I can't stand nineties computers any more. Ugh, I need a break!" Said a yawning Sam. She was in charge of _so_ many research projects, it was _inhumane._ She had immersed herself in work, so that she wouldn't have any free time to think about Jack... and him still being married to Sarah... and Charlie still being alive in this timeline. She was glad for him, she was. But it was so _unfair!_

Due to the Asurans wearing their _faces_ as it were; and their names being in the challenges marked as counting as 'outside help' in regards to the second challenge. They had become famous, or infamous depending on how you look at it. Many thought they were aliens, some revered them as angels, others considered them demons. Yet others wanted to kidnap them and extract every last piece of information out of them and damn the consequences. Very few people knew about General Hammond, as his part in the events had been kept secret.

They were of course being guarded better than anyone else in the world right now. They had been surprised to find out it was Maybourne who had originally blown the whistle on their predicament. They were also surprised when he was assigned to head their protective details. They were uncomfortable with that choice at first but, as they were confined on base, for now, they learned to live with it.

All the hubbub surrounding them did cause some friction with people they knew. Family and friends, most did not know what to think about them. Some were standing by them, while others had already cut loose.

They kept watching the screen as a MALP look-alike was sent through the gate to Abydos.

Telemetry and video from the MALP inside the Abydos pyramid started coming in, then sparkly columns of light appeared and a copy of each Asuran line transported in a flash.

"Finally!" The Jack O'Neill copy said.

"Took you long enough." The Daniel Jackson copy said.

"Well, congratulations. You're one step closer to beating the second challenge!" The Samantha Carter copy said. "Now what you have to do is beat the first challenge." She added with a smirk.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Now that they figured out how to use the gate, Sam, Jack and Hammond were invited to Cheyenne Mountain. Sam had lots of improvements she wanted to do to the Earth-designed Dialing computer that no one here could possibly know about yet. They were also both charged in recommending planets to visit; everyone was already aware the gate went to more than one planet.

Everyone gave Sam and Jack weird looks, Hammond was spared as he was not particularly recognized. No one here had officially been told about the _'future memory download'_ part of things although many guessed something _was_ amiss. They all thought these were two of the aliens, nobody told them they actually were the originals, moving in to the base. But why were aliens being escorted by armed guards to the 'SGC', as it was now being called, was anyone's wild guess. The aliens were known to be able to pop in anywhere, do whatever they wanted and then disappear.

Most of the senior SGC personnel and the top international scientists, all gathered to one of the largest rooms in the base, a recently created briefing theater that could house two hundred people.

And they were briefed.

About everything.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

The same briefing theater was again filled the next day and the day after that until finally the discussion focused on the planets they would choose to visit.

The first planet the two 'experts' recommended for visit was Abydos. Everyone else disagreed since it was a Goa'uld planet after all. They countered that they had sent a MALP there and they would have to at least retrieve it. Plus, they also revealed that they thought Daniel would be there.

That caught everyone's attention. Some questioned their sanity. To which they responded by revealing the existence of Osiris' Archaic Tel'tak, which was what they both thought Daniel had taken and left to go see his future wife, Sha're.

After some arguing and demands for explanation on why they had not been told of this before. Things went surprisingly smoother. They briefed them about several safe planets that would be good candidates for visiting. They also listed several civilizations that would be good candidates for helping _in a significant manner_ as the challenge required.

Someone asked why not help all of them? The feeling was shared by several other scientists. But they were uncertain if they could handle some of the special cases yet, for instance, curing _The Touched_ or removing the nanites from the _Argosians._

They also pointed out that many of the civilizations they could contact would need special care and extensive planning before any mission to do so.

They gave them as many stargate addresses as they could remember, but pointed out they could not remember them all. They did mention the Abydos Cartouche though, that contained many of the addresses known to the Goa'uld.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Abydos _was_ indeed the first planet visited. Jack had insisted he be in this one to find Daniel. No one wanted to let _him_ go because it could prove dangerous. He insisted and pointed out he'd done it before.

When the mission was given a green light, Jack was excited to go. When he went to see the gathering team being prepped, they were all wearing some sort of NASA-style spacesuits. He laughed at their faces and told them to remove all the junk.

The team, wearing quickly put-together disguises, clothes that would not stand out in Abydos - and _not_ space suits - infiltrated the city and Jack quietly looked for any sign of Sha're, Daniel, Kasuf or Skaara, for a whole day. They came up short. But eventually Jack saw someone familiar and started trying to talk with him.

Soon enough, they were in front of Kasuf. He quietly listened to Jack ask him about Daniel and Sha're for a long time. After a long moment of thought he decided to speak one word.

"Ernest."

None of the others understood, but Jack did. He thanked Kasuf and left.

The team quickly made their way out, while planting several surveillance devices along the way. It had been decided to sit back and quietly observe Abydos for the time being.

Earth was not in a hurry to go after Ra, the third challenge didn't _really_ have a time limit and Sam and Jack had both expressed the need to at least advance technologically a little more, before they attempted it.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Sam was now charged with figuring out a way to power the gate in Heliopolis, while they didn't even have a prototype Naquadah generator... Although, she could _make_ one. They had provided addresses for planets known to have Naquadah that were not Goa'uld occupied, but mining operations there would still take a while to develop. So she would have to figure out how to use 1990's energy generation technology portable enough to fit through the gate and power the gate on the other side, so the people there could dial Earth. 'Or, we could call the Orbanians!' Sam thought.

In the mean time, it was a one way trip. A few volunteers were sent to Heliopolis, who did find Daniel and Sha're, and several other Abydonians, including Skaara. Apparently, Daniel took some of the Abydonians with him for an adventure, he had picked them all up in his ship and brought them with him, or so they said.

A team of engineers was sent to fortify the structure so it would not collapse, further than the work the Abydonians had been able to do already. Daniel was adamant he was staying there for the foreseeable future, even after they enabled two-way travel, hoping he would be able to learn things from Heliopolis that they had failed to learn the last time.

Everyone was also excited to have access to a ship, _with_ a hyperdrive. Even if it was a very old Goa'uld model. So, more volunteers were sent to begin studying the ship.

Daniel was elated when a team of linguists were also sent through the gate to help him, but greatly annoyed when another person arrived for the purpose of squeezing every last bit of intelligence information out of his head. He was busy! Couldn't they see that?

**SGSGSGSGSG**

Once travel began to take place to other planets and they started seeing amazing technologies, the world leaders picked up the pace on the diplomacy front even more. They knew they would 'get help' with the technologies they found, after they achieved the first challenge.

The first two worlds with interesting technologies they visited, were the Volsinii's planet, where the faulty 'Gamekeeper' AI was keeping everyone in the VR environment by force and the Palazians from P3X-289, where the atmosphere was toxic and the remaining survivors were all inside a 'dome'.

A dome which was losing power.

The neural interface technologies on both planets had great potential. They could potentially be used to 'create' highly trained people at will by teaching them everything instantly and they also had possible commercial applications. Interestingly, Jack advised against researching _that_ technology; but he was overruled.

The dome itself was another thing they really wanted to figure out.

The not-quite-stasis technology of the Volsinii had other applications as well.

Plus they got to have a look at myriad other little things that were interesting to their own right, the computer hardware, the power generators, everything.

It's worth noting that by helping either one of these two peoples, they would be achieving the second challenge. They had already visited more than ten other safe worlds, they just needed to significantly 'help' one civilization, as the challenge required.

But there still was the issue of _Unification_ as they were calling it back home.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

While the diplomats were still going at a snail's pace, there was a loose agreement by the major powers to carefully explore other planets.

They planted recording devices on many worlds.

They found numerous alien technologies on many planets.

Including an entire ship with people in stasis. The recently crashed Stromos, containing the last surviving Talthuns. Who they gladly helped with the condition they be allowed to study the technologies on the ship.

Earth was beginning to have quite a bit of an alien refugee population. That situation did of course have its problems, but not as many as they initially thought it would. They actually preferred to keep them on Earth, for now, so that news of their technological rise would not reach Goa'uld ears.

It also helped that the gains in knowledge greatly outweighed any costs.

Time passed while they very carefully gathered more and more intelligence on many hostile planets. Slowly building up information networks they would one day need to use against the Goa'uld. The Talthuns and others willing to help, helped develop miniature bugs that had visual and audio recording capabilities. They had let them loose through the gate network.

They did not want to take the big step of the third challenge yet, not until the ink was at least dry in the Unification treaty.

That, took almost another full year.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Friday, October 16th, 1992**

On this day the people of Earth had one thing on their mind only. The grand ceremony taking place today in Hong Kong for the signing of the Unification Treaty.

After the diplomatic talks had seriously began, it had taken a year to iron out all the details and agreements to achieve it all.

China had pulled its weight and demanded the seat for this new global administration be Hong Kong. They also had _**requested**_ the British immediately transfer sovereignty of the city, which would be put under a special administrative region status of China.

Almost everyone else was agreeable to the Chinese request, they did not have much say in the matter. The British counter-offer however, was complete independence for Hong Kong, with it becoming Earth's capital district with its own local self-governance.

The interesting thing happened when the Chinese, during a bad day of other disagreements, had agreed... but they had spitefully added the stipulation that this new nation would be in full administrative control of any unclaimed land on earth, including Antarctica and of all celestial bodies in the Solar system. The Chinese diplomats were expecting hell to pay for that and they actually _were_ planning to let go of the Hong Kong thing altogether and simply ask for Shanghai to be the capital.

That stipulation nearly tore everything down, but a select few people saw how this would completely solve any future claims of sovereignty across the Solar System, not to mention how it probably also solved _all_ problems with the Antarctica outpost. Which they were still trying to reach. After a _lot_ of convincing, others saw it that way too.

And this is how the Capital was born. A _new_ independent nation, the first one to hold land not on Earth.

This was the opposite of what had been recently happening, many of the previous nations had by now united in localized Federations and other looser or stronger Unions.

Many of the African nations were now The United African Federation, much of Europe was now the European Union. The Asia Pacific island nations were now The Asia Pacific Union. The USSR had renamed itself United States of Eurasia and they annexed Afghanistan, by force, after having already peacefully absorbed all previous satellite states except Romania and also absorbed Cuba and Mozambique under a special status. This name change gave the Americans quite a bit of annoyance, since they would not be the only _United States_ any more. The Cuba issue caused many a headache for both Americans and Rusians, but the Cubans themselves solved it by proposing that no nukes be placed on their soil and having a low active-duty military personnel cap in place during peace time. China had absorbed both Koreas unilaterally, but with minimal argument from the Russians and the Americans. They eyed Taiwan with interest too, but did not wish to start WW3 over it, so they left that matter hanging.

Afghanistan and the two Korean nations did try to make a fuss, but without much success. Some nations voiced their objections in support of them, but more than a few were content those regions were _someone else's problem now_.

The only ones that completely failed to get along were a few hold outs in the Middle East and South America. Not all nations there, but a few of what remained after Saudi Arabia absorbed Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the U.A.E.; after the U.S.A. peacefully absorbed Mexico, Costa Rica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, incorporated their overseas territories and annexed Panama. Panama was _technically_ annexed by force but without firing a single shot.

In South America, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil had formed the South American Union, some of the smaller countries there were now struggling to remain independent.

The primary _bad hats_ were Iran and Venezuela. They, along with a few other countries, were resistant to the global sweeping changes. Even to the point of withdrawing from most international diplomatic functions and closing their borders.

Iraq had stopped being a _loud_ problem after a few surgical operations removed its leadership, surprisingly, half of the teams sent had been Spetsnaz the other half were Seals. Iraq was otherwise left alone, but in a very messy state.

The number of sovereign nations on the planet had dropped to under 100.

The oil producing countries had tried to make huge waves when they got a whiff that they would soon no longer be of consequence due to new energy technologies. Many of the scientists, that had seen those technologies, mentioned that an oil shortage would be a good thing, by virtue of forcing everyone to drop that wasteful source of energy.

And so the world moved on.

The global Unification, virtually guaranteed that no two Earth superpowers would make war with one another ever again. The few hold-outs became irrelevant isolated states overnight. The record showed **eighty three** nations as signatories, **five** as non-signing observes and **six** abstaining completely. There also a few extraterrestrial observers recognized in the treaty, namely the Asurans, Talthuns, Volsinii and Palazians.

A few nations were unrecognized as such, for instance Taiwan. No one pushed to fix _that_ issue at the moment, Unification did not promise Utopia after all. Besides, _that_ was a UN issue, the UN remained to be the diplomatic body that handled internal, Earth-only matters. But mistakes of the U.N. past were learned and applied in the creation of the new treaty and system. It was designed to not be optional nor superficial and certainly in no way potentially irrelevant, but binding to everyone involved.

Unification did not officially take away sovereignty but it did do a lot more than the first achievement required. On top of the 'Global Military Command', 'Interplanetary Diplomatic Corps' and 'Global Science and Technology Administration'. They had added 'Department of Holdings and Colonization', 'Interstellar Commerce and Resources Administration' and 'Interstellar Crisis Management'. The last three were to be 'lower' branches to respectively manage any colonization moves from Earth as well as any outposts, explore other systems for much needed resources as well as facilitate trade with other worlds and provide an interstellar Peace Corps of sorts to provide aid where necessary. There was also a 'Galactic Intelligence Agency', but no one ever spoke about that one in public.

People the world over partied for the full day and night after the treaty signing.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

The next day the Global Representative Grand Assembly, assembled for the first time. The entire session was occupied with ceremony, congratulations and hopeful speeches. In a way, a continuation of yesterday's party. Normal assembly operations were to begin on Monday.

For now the three representatives from each nation were _appointed_ by their respective governments, but many of the nations planned to later have their representation be _elected_ in national elections. The assembly's voting, when called for, had been decided to be 'weighted' based upon the population each nation represented, this was in line with what the Asurans had indicated with their population representation stipulation in the first challenge and people took it to heart. There was no UN-style security council veto power, but they devised a simple _'marker'_ system to assure that the most populous super-nations did not _always_ drive every vote. Each representative could call one marker per year, if three such markers were 'called' during a vote, then that vote would need a two-thirds majority to pass instead of simple majority. If six were called, the vote would need a three-quarters majority. And finally, if nine markers were called, then the vote would be dropped altogether, for at least a year. Each nation could only call one marker per vote, so that the markers called would have to come from separate nations.

They had decided on each nation having three representatives with different skill-sets. One was to be a diplomat, or a politician as is often the case. The second a high level military official; and the third an academic, usually also an acclaimed scientist in his or her field. This form of representation had been something decided upon early on so it would satisfy the first challenge on its own. Regardless of the later changes, they kept it on. Officially, they _could_ each vote their own conscience separately, carrying the weight of one third of their nation's vote. Although in future practice a nation's representatives would most often vote the same, even if personal consciences would rather go stray.

The 'Grand Assembly' was temporarily to be held in an auditorium where all representatives from all nations could sit, if a bit cramped. The buildings that were to be used in the future had not even left the design stage yet.

There were also individual administration buildings planned for the other branches. For the moment they were hosted wherever they could be hosted.

The Grand Assembly would pick its representative-voted 'High Council' on the next session. The High Council would be composed of nine people, three from each of the main three branches and they would keep the office for three years. The High Council had power to make binding executive decisions on its own, for matters concerning the whole planet. They could do so without consulting the assembly, when they deemed it necessary. The Grand Assembly did have the power to remove High Councilors by calling for a vote of no confidence at any time, but doing so required two thirds of the remaining votes in the population-weighted voting system.

Unlike the voting system of the assembly, the High council would simply count an individual vote per councilor. This was deemed necessary, to keep them equal with one another. It's also worth noting that the number of councilors precluded a stalemate.

Another three representatives from each branch would act as a Lower Council for their own respective branches, their term would also last three years and they were given executive management powers over their branches. The other, smaller, branches were to be separately staffed and lead by three representatives each, chosen by the Grand Assembly. Apart from the Grand Assembly it was expected that each branch could and would use the assembly's facilities to have their own separate sessions when needed. There were to be three rotating chairmen selected to preside over the day to day operations and keep the civility of it all. A chairman would, for the most part, be the person with the gavel, the referee in any ruckus during sessions, nothing more.

The number _three_ had acquired something of a religious fervor in the Unification Treaty's design. Partly due to there being three types of the mysterious Asurans. For who they still knew very little about.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Sunday, October 18th, 1992**

Two days after the signing, there was a large scale organized revolution centered in Beijing and other large Chinese cities. _Apparently_ a large group of the population did not like the idea that their government was planning to do everything in its power to free _other_ _planets_ from oppression, yet maintain the political oppression in China as-is. They had planned their concerted action to happen on the first Sunday after the treaty signing.

The world held its breath while the events unfolded.

Moscow almost had another coup when hard liners saw the events in China taking place. Within hours they mobilized to prevent something similar from happening in their own regions. Gorbachev surprisingly responded by demanding the hard-liner leaders' immediate retirement from all matters military and political. That resulted in their attempt to overthrow Gorbachev immediately, but the people had heard and _liked_ his response. They flooded the streets and stopped the armies. Gorbachev had smelled the roses as it were and he made a _'spontaneous'_ speech declaring that any state within the union wishing to change its form or method of government must do so peacefully by popular vote and added that no such movement would be prosecuted. This would later have the peculiar side-effect that, in those states where communism wanted to remain standing, they would have to take steps in their management to truly be popular.

For the rest of the day the world held its breath, just in case.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Monday October 19th, 1992**

The Grand Assembly begun its second session with vacant Chinese seats. Today they hastily changed the schedule, so they would merely be presenting some of the most successful missions undertaken through the Stargate already. They held back the vote for the High Council and other administrative positions for another day until the new Chinese representatives could be chosen. By quiet assent, since they did not have a leadership yet, the Governor of Hong Kong took the mantle for this _one_ day.

The Asurans were present in the assembly to make good on the first challenge's prize. Since the day of the treaty signing there had been a tall pallet, a large shiny metallic box, taking up space in the middle of the auditorium's stage. The original plan was that after the voting, the High Council's first official decision would be to open it. Like small children wanting to open their presents, they couldn't wait any longer so they unanimously decided to forgo more waiting and pop it open. The Asurans opened the box somehow, no one could figure out how, since there had been no obvious seams or handles. They then gave each signatory country a small decorated metallic box containing three differently colored data storage crystals, each had a _reader_ device with various communication interfaces for use with man-made computer electronics. Each of the boxes had an engraved label of the nation it was to be given to. The scientists and those of the others that understood what a 'byte' was, were amazed when they were told that each of these tiny thumb sized crystals held a Terabyte of data and had empty room for another Terabyte. Compared to 90's man-made storage technology, those figures were astronomical. The box for the Chinese was sent to Beijing by diplomatic courier.

The Asuran Ambassador announced that after the Grand Assembly had completed its organization and had voted-in its council, they had 'a couple of matters' to bring to it. He also advised that the presence of 'their experts' would be advisable, so they may clarify any questions and advise the Assembly if so asked. He did not have to clarify who those _experts_ were.

That announcement did raise many eyebrows and questions were voiced but the Asuran kept quiet on further information.

The Asurans had already started construction of a new control room and new gate room inside Cheyenne mountain where they would be placing the control equipment and their 'upgraded' Stargate. The scientists there, including Sam, were all excited to see what the new gate would be like. The old gate was to be artificially 'buried' and kept in storage. It was announced the construction would be complete within hours.

At the end of the assembly's session, everyone went for a tour of the first Galactic Science Exhibit where prototypes of Earth-made devices, reverse engineered from alien tech, were on display. The first big display was of a prototype anti-gravity propulsion system. Initially most of the effort for that technology was by Samantha Carter, with later additional help from other Earth scientists, who significantly started helping after they begun reverse engineering Osiris' Archaic Tel'tak and could actually see how it worked. The second big display was of a prototype shield generator Samantha Carter and her _team_ had designed and built all on their own. The third display had a prototype human designed plasma rifle, reverse engineered from a Jaffa staff weapon they had found. Those 'big' displays and many other smaller ones took their breath away.

**SGSGSGSGSG**

**Two Hours Later.**

**Cheyenne Mountain Complex.**

Two dozen Carters had been swarming the 27th level of Cheyenne mountain where the new control room and the new gate room were being constructed or more accurately, materialized. With a final re-check, they were satisfied their labor was complete and they 'opened' the area for visitors. They specifically requested Jack O'Neill to be present and then beamed out without much fuss.

The reason for Jack being there became apparent to Jack and Sam when they reached the doorway to the control room, they too had been itching to take their first look at what the Asurans had brewed.

An Ancient control chair prominently stood in the middle of the room.

The new control room had that smell of 'brand new' about it. The control room's walls and ceiling were shaped as a dome and were smooth and polished as was the floor. The front side wall of the room was transparent with an outlook to the gate room.

There were half a dozen control stations strewn about, but it was obvious the main control was the chair. Obvious to Sam and Jack that is, since most of the other scientists did not know about the meaning of the chair and ignored it entirely.

They complained that nothing was 'working'. And that complaining quickly grew, scientists love to whine after all. Before it got too out of hand, Jack spoke up.

"Quiet!" He looked around the room. "It's not working 'cause no one has turned it _on,_ yet." He said with a grin.

He indicated for everyone else to stand back.

He walked to the chair but, before sitting he had a thought. He went to where a ZPM would normally be and waved his hand over it. The device activated and raised something upwards. He picked up what should have been a ZPM, looked at it, he looked back to Carter. "Huh, this is new." He said.

It was shaped similar to a ZPM but instead of the yellowish glow a charged ZPM would have this one was glowing green and it had less crystalline parts on its surface.

"New model?" Carter asked.

"That would be awesome!" O'Neill answered.

The others looking on started producing a buzz of chatter.

Jack shrugged and reinserted the power source. "Shall we?" He said before sitting.

He sat on the chair, it quickly lit up and reclined.

The room lit up.

Jack was mentally looking through the available systems. "Well this is interesting." He said.

The room's walls and floor _disappeared_, to be replaced by a sea of stars. Everyone gasped at that.

Jack had the hologram zoom to a grand view of the milky way galaxy, putting it in the center of the dome above his head.

It had thousands of information tags _attached_ to star-systems.

"Cool!" Jack said.

He zoomed in to a single star, Sol. The people present _thought_ they began to feel heat radiating from the large sphere of the star taking up the center of the dome. He moved to focus on Earth and kept that view for a few seconds. Something was obviously different, the continents where out of place, it was as if... of course! The view was _old_, of Earth thousands of years ago. He ignored the buzzing chatter everyone else was making as he zoomed out and moved the view on to another area of the galaxy and zoomed in to another star system.

"This has Stargate addresses built in!" Jack said.

Sam was amazed at what that could potentially mean. If it had addresses no one else knew about...

"Does it have Proclarush Taonas?" Sam asked.

Jack moved the view with a thought, it focused on a star system. Then it focused further to a single planet. It had some limited but clearly visible volcanic activity spread out through some of its surface.

"Yeah..."

"You know what this means?" The address for Proclarush Taonas was not written on the Abydos Cartouche. It was one of the addresses most Goa'uld would not know about. It would mean there are other addresses in the computer, to planets the Goa'uld had never been on!

"Yeah..."

"This is _amazing!_" She cheered like a child.

"According to this, there is still an active Stargate there. And..." Jack stayed quiet for another few moments. Sifting through the information.

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"Sam, why do we send MALPs through the gate?" Jack asked.

Sam frowned, "To do initial recon on the other side of course..."

"Yeah, but, why send MALPs?" He asked grinning.

"How else are we..." she paused, "No..."

"Yes."

_-+o+-_

_A/N: Yes it was ~5 Billion (5.3bn) people... in 1991!_

_We never do learn the name of the people on P3X-289 (Episode 705, Revisions). So I made one up._

_The Touched are from episode 105, 'The Broca Divide'. Think 'Land of Light', 'Land of Dark', Neanderthal producing virus... yeah that one._

_Thanks to my Beta readers._

_Please review to feed my muse. (And please make sure to log in first, if you expect an answer to a question...)_

_Posted on 2012-10-07_


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